We Reminisce: Kobe’s 81
Seeing as some of the more sensitive Kobe loyalists have felt dissed by all the LeBron coverage today, here’s a sure pick-them-up: January 22, 2006, Kobe dropped the big number on the Raptors courtesy 28-of-46 shooting from the field, 7-of-13 from three, and 18-of-20 from the line. Along with six rebounds, three steals and, um, two assists, it was truly dominant.
November 25th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
that's whats up says:
Greedy Bryant was on that night
November 25th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
PWeezy says:
craptors got BLACK MAMBA in the bum
November 25th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
ERIC says:
i watched this game (thank you nba league pass) and best part was that the Lakers were down 18 and kobe single-handedly brought them back with an epic performance. it was nuts watching it unfold.
November 25th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
dk says:
Never thought I would see some shizzle like that!!!!
November 25th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
GEE...I am Dragonfly Jones says:
I don’t care what anyone says. That is phenomenal and amazing considering many teams have at least 1 defensive juggernaut, team defensive schemes, 6 fouls and 2 techs if you wanna get dirty, and timeouts to at least hinder someone.
No way and I mean NO WAY, just on pride alone, should anyone drop 81. It was crazy and Kobe did his thing. Only person I can see doing that again or possibly greater.
Kobe.
Personally I think the Raps themselves were in awe of the performance and just letting dude have his way.
Still now way that should happen this day and age. Shiiii honestly 50 is extreme. When you let a single dude beat you and score more than 50, someone needs to get benched, waved, traded and slapped.
Kobe is no doubt 1 of the greatest.
November 25th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
E$ says:
Lakers playing the Raptors tonight? useless
November 25th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
GEE...I am Dragonfly Jones says:
Oh and just to bring em’ out (see if they take the bait),
Jordan himself never even did that ish!
Whooooooaaa boy let me stand back! Here comes the drama.
Let me pre-reason some cats:
The game was tougher then,
Guys played more defense,
Jordan could have if he wanted he was more team oriented,
Anyone could have scored 81 vs. the Raptors that night,
Jordan has never needed to score that many to prove his greatness.
I think I got most of the most common ones that are usually used.
Ok begiiiiinnnnn…..now.
November 25th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
KB24 says:
Anyone could have scored 81 vs. the Raptors that night,
Really?
November 25th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
loganlight says:
What I never realized is that Kobe “only” had 26 at half… he never turned it off.
Amazing.
LL
November 25th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
the antoine says:
i was at that game.. and you didnt really notice what was going on til midway through the 3rd when everything just started falling.. and falling… and fallin.. i gotta be honest i wanted to leave.. they were down 18.. nobody doing anything.. kobe just said ok.. ill win this on my own.. great moment
November 25th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
KB24 says:
BTW…Do you guys see who’s on the court with Kobe?
Smush – D-League
Walton – 12th man
Odom – 6th man
Kwame – LOL
Chris Mihm – 11th man
November 25th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Kermit The Washington says:
Wow. I’ve seen this many times, and I’m still in shock. But what’s more surprising is how many people say he was facing no defense. But c’mon! How many and-1s are in there? And 3’s?
This is by far a greater performance than Wilt’s 100, given the fact that once Wilt looked like he was gonna break whatever record there was at the time, the opposing team just gave it to him. Basically single-coverage the whole game, too! Just back down in the paint and score. Back down in the paint and score. But THIS?! Inside, outside, double teamed, triple teamed, zone defense, whatever you gave him. SICK. You could score 200 layups in one game and still not top this.
November 25th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Big Sia says:
The Post VC Raptors = the most Shitted On Franchise in NBA HISTORY
November 25th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
jim says:
Kobe was amazing. That said, why didn’t the Raptors double him on all his touches?
November 25th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Remember in NBA Jam- “he’s on fire!”
…Yeah, like that.
November 25th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
alimoe says:
look at the range, respect
November 25th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
doug says:
jim they were double teaming Kobe, I was at the game, there was nothing anyone on that team could do to stop him. I remember one play at half court where they double teamed him and he went behind his back and split the
double team simultaneously. The crowd went nuts. He’s just too good. Haters take a day off, Thanksgiving is fast approaching.
November 25th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
fallinup says:
Wanna know why Kobe scored 81? Because the league doesn’t let players knock the shit out of you to rattle you out of your game. Imagine if Kobe was dicing up say, the Knicks squad from the 90’s.
Oakley would been owning one of Kobe’s ears by the time he broke 50. haha
November 25th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
jussumguy says:
In the “We Reminisce” mode Dime, why don’t you offer subs for $0.81 again like you did back then?
November 25th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
rlf says:
oh dime, it’s not about kobe, it’s about the non-sense you write about lebron.
but i get it, you guys are from new york and your team SUCKS, so you want to be ‘important’ in the basketball world.
it’s okay, enjoy your bron bron.
he’ll leave today and maybe you’ll have him in 2 years, or maybe he’ll sign with someone else, once he sees that even with all the nike promotion, he is still not recognize. booo
November 25th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
The Bad One says:
@ Dime – y’all need to have a contest – who is the biggest hater on the site?
im 50/50 for rlf or cru thik
November 25th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
JCARR says:
YYYEEEEAAAAAHHHH. just incredible. born to dominate.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
UKnow says:
DIME have you no heart??
Thats one night the whole city of Toronto is still trying to forget.
Sam Mitchell should have got fired right after the game.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Smitty313 says:
I’m a Kobe fan til death. I’m not mad about you not covering Kobe as much as others in the NBA. It’s just that I’m tired of people shoving Lebron down out throats (pause).
He has did anything to me except put up good numbers. Right now he’s Dominique Wilkins, getting more love than Jordan can only dream of.
November 26th, 2008 at 3:34 am
baraks says:
Too many haters. Give the man his due, he scored 81 and that’s that. Jordan never did it, and even if he (probably) could, he still didn’t. Facts matter, and this one just smacked all the haters in the face.
I remember skipping work just to finish this game (I’m on the other side of the world so this game started in the AM). I think I spilled my lunch after he got to 70.
Bron is a freak of nature, but CP3 is probably the best pound-for-pound young gun in the L right now.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
A,R. says:
Man I know Wilt scored 100 but damn that! Kobe’s 81 is the best scoring output in NBA history! He just wouldn’t/couldn’t stop! I honestly believe he could threw a shot from the top row of the stadium and sunk it that night. When he broke Elgin Baylor’s record I was convinced I was playing a video game. When my mind settled down I thought I was dreaming. When I pinched myself I was conviced Kobe was an alien. Just unbelievable.
December 1st, 2008 at 4:13 am
biggeddy says:
antoine, I was at the game too… 4th row, center court – best seats of my life. When I looked up at the scoreboard at halftime and saw that he had 26, I was taken a back. I expected him to score 50 that game (they were on a 3 game losing steak and Kobe was killing it that year), but it was a very quiet 26. In the 3rd Kobe just started to go nuts. We looked up at his points total halfway through the 3rd and thought that he might get 60, then halfway through the 4th thinking he might get 70…but 80 was just unbelievable. One of the top two games I ever saw in person (the other was game 4 against phoenix that year, when smush stole the ball and kobe tied at the 4th qtr buzzer, then when smush tied up nash and Kobe won it at the OT buzzer. Smush set these up!)
February 5th, 2009 at 3:35 am
Big Sia says:
52-11-10
February 5th, 2009 at 10:59 am
EAGLESFLYERSPHILSSIXERS says:
truly on of the greatest performances in sports history. dominance