Kobe Bryant
The 81-point game that defined a historic scoring season for the Lakers.
Kobe Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers, not the Los Angeles Clippers. On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points for the Lakers in a 122–104 win over the Toronto Raptors. That game, which the Lakers trailed 63–49 at halftime and 71–53 in the third quarter, saw Bryant play 42 minutes, shooting 28-of-46 from the field, including 7-of-13 on three-pointers, with 55 points in the second half. It was at the time the most points scored since the NBA–ABA merger and second-most points in a single-game in NBA history.
- Character
- Kobe Bryant
- Affiliation
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Status
- Retired Legend / Hall of Famer
- Position
- Shooting Guard
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Kobe Bryant and the Lakers had won three consecutive championships from 2000–2002. However, his image took a hit after he was accused of sexual assault in 2003, and was seen as a contributing factor for his public feud and eventual break-up with co-star Shaquille O'Neal, which led to O'Neal being traded to Miami after the 2003–04 season. Ex-coach Phil Jackson called Bryant "uncoachable" and "selfish" in his book, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul. In 2004–05, without O'Neal, Jackson, or Derek Fisher, the Lakers failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1993–94. Entering the 2005–06 season, Bryant was at a career crossroads. Jackson had returned to the team as coach, citing a desire to wanting to work with a more mature Bryant. The early season highlight was a December 20 game against the Dallas Mavericks, which saw Bryant score 62 points in three quarters in a blowout win, including outscoring the Mavericks through three quarters by himself (62–61). Phil Jackson allowed Kobe to rest in the fourth quarter because the game was a blowout. Kobe declined to re-enter, saying he would "get it another time".
In Their Own Story
On January 22, 2006, much of the sporting world's attention in America was placed on the NFL's AFC and NFC Championship Games. The Lakers were coming off two consecutive losses: an overtime road loss to the Sacramento Kings, a 51-point effort from Bryant, and a blowout defeat to the rival Phoenix Suns. Prior to that, the Lakers had been a season-high four games over .500, after a home win against former star Laker Shaquille O'Neal and Miami Heat on January 16. At 10:55 in the first quarter, Smush Parker scored the first points of the game after a Jalen Rose turnover led to an open breakaway dunk. In the first quarter, the Raptors led 36–29. Bryant had 14 points, including his 61st consecutive free-throw make on the season. Going into halftime, the Raptors led after a James three to put them up 63–49 and the Lakers were once again booed by the crowd. At this point, Kobe had just 26 points. In the third quarter, Bryant made 19 straight points for the Lakers until an Odom free throw make at 6:53. Kobe crossed the 50-point barrier with a steal and emphatic dunk to put the Lakers in the lead at 87–85. He scored 27 points in the quarter, going 11-for-15 from the field, bringing his point total to 53. The Lakers, who were booed off the court at halftime, were given a standing ovation. He reached the 60-point barrier after a ni...
Reader's Guide
The game occurred during Bryant's extraordinary scoring season in 2005–06, which not only included scoring 81 points, but outscoring the entire Dallas Mavericks team (62–61) through three quarters on December 20, 2005, 40 points or more in 27 games, and six games of 50 points or more. He led the league with 35.4 points per game (PPG) that season, the highest PPG total since Michael Jordan’s 37.09 in 1986–87. Unlike Chamberlain's 100-point game, the game was televised locally in Los Angeles and the surrounding Southern California areas on FSN West (Fox Sports Net West). Bill Macdonald (play-by-play, filling in for Joel Meyers who was calling that year's NFC Championship Game for CBS Radio), Stu Lantz (analyst), and Patrick O'Neal (sideline) were the FSN West television broadcasters. The game was also available in Canada on theScore and on NBA League Pass in North America through a cable provider. Starting for the Lakers was their usual line-up of Smush Parker (PG), Kobe Bryant (SG), Lamar Odom (SF), Kwame Brown (PF), and Chris Mihm (C). The Raptors started Mike James (PG), Jalen Rose (SG), Morris Peterson (SF), Chris Bosh (PF), and Matt Bonner (C).
Did You Know?
- Kobe Bryant scored a career-high 81 points on January 22, 2006, which was at the time the most points scored since the NBA–ABA merger and second-most points in a single-game in NBA history.
- Bryant scored 55 points in the second half of that game, after the Lakers trailed 63–49 at halftime.
- The game was televised locally on FSN West with Bill Macdonald filling in for Joel Meyers, who was calling the NFC Championship Game for CBS Radio.
- Earlier that season, on December 20, 2005, Bryant outscored the entire Dallas Mavericks team 62–61 through three quarters.
- Bryant led the league with 35.4 points per game in 2005–06, the highest PPG total since Michael Jordan’s 37.09 in 1986–87.