The Top 10 Kobe Bryant Basketball Moments

 The Top 10 Kobe Bryant Basketball Moments 


  On this day a year after Kobe Bryant’s, his daughter GiGi, and 7 other passengers deaths in a tragic helicopter accident I will rank my top 10 moments that we say by the late great Kobe Bryant.



10 The Famous No Flinch: 

Because I don’t know if I could sleep tonight if I didn’t include this in my list. 




9 The Thought of The Magic Winning Would of Been Fun I Guess:

In the 2009 NBA Finals Kobe Bryant’s Lakers played against Dwight Howard’s Magic. The Magic were looking to be the underdog story as they beat the Celtics and Lebron’s Cavs on the way to the Finals. Bryant put a strike into these hopes quick and a hurry. As in game one he scored 40 points for a 25 point win over the Magic. It took only the Lakers 5 games to wrap up the Magic for Kobe’s 4th NBA Championship. Bryant averaged 28.6 PTS 8.0 TRB 3.9, he led the team in all three categories. It was Bryant’s easiest title or did he make it look like that? 





8 Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant see the floor together what would seem to be a passing of the torch game: 

What would be known as the “Goodbye Michael Jordan. Hello Kobe Bryant” game on March 28th, 2003 Bryant and Michael Jordan were set to matchup for the last time. With the Lakers going against Jordan’s last stop Washington Wizards. Bryant looked to be ready to take over the face of the NBA. Against 40 year old Jordan the Lakers star guard Bryant shot 14 for 19 from the field, 8 for 11 from the three, ending the first half with 42 points. He cooled to a 1 for 10 shooting in the 2nd half however ended the game with 55 points. Jordan at 40 ended the game with 23. The Lakers would go on to win the game 108-94. 




7 This is What Mamba Mentality Really Looks Like 

During the 2002 NBA Playoffs Kobe Bryant had to rush home after Game 3 against the Kings as his wife Vanessa was admitted to a hospital. Bryant would make it back to Sacramento in time for Game 4 after he felt as if she was okay. The worries of how he would play went out the window when Bryant started the game off with a poster dunk on Vlade Divac. One of my favorite stories from the game is apparently after an offensive foul by Chris Webber, Bryant told Webber not to get to upset as he didn’t want to get him ejected. He wanted to beat the Kings at full health. Then at the half he told the reporter he was glad the Lakers were losing so the Lakers could finally have a challenge. Even up 3-0 in the series Bryant bullied himself to the line with 19 free throws. While also grabbing 16 rebounds. Bryant and the Lakers were on a 17 game winning streak including the win over the Kings. Bryant saw the game as life or death even being up 3-0 and that’s Mamba mentality step on their throats. 




6 The Kobe and Shaq Alley Oop

To complete a 3-2 comeback on the Trail Blazers one of the most memorable scores was the alley oop from Kobe Bryant to Shaq. The two didn’t like each other and it showed as Shaq went to celebrate with everyone but Kobe after the memorable dunk. Nonetheless it showed Bryant can put anything behind him as long it’s benefits him winning. 




5 Bryant Nails Free Throws After Torn Achilles 

In the 2013-2014 is was clear Kobe Bryant wasn’t the same physical player he was. He lost his step or steps that he had on other players. However that Mamba inside of him never died. Early in the season Bryant suffers a torn Achilles while being fouled on a play. Instead of checking out Bryant stays in and hits both free throws on a torn Achilles. Most people won’t even walk he went all the way to shoot. On a basketball team that wasn’t a championship team but it was Bryant’s mental which was stronger than everyone else no matter what his physical was. 




4 Kobe Scores 62 In Three Quarters

Going against the Dirk Nowitzki’s Dallas Mavericks on December 20th, 2005 Bryant had one of his most incredible games. At 27 years of age against a very good Mavs team Bryant shot 18 for 31 from the field, 22 of 25 from the free throw line, and 4 for 10 from behind the three point line. He only played 33 minutes, he didn’t play in the fourth, and managed to score 62 points in that time. He scored 30 points in the third quarter alone. One of Bryant’s greatest performances on the hardwood. 





3 Kobe Bryant Scores 50 Points in Four Straight Games

During the late season of 2007 Kobe Bryant went on a four game run for the history books. On March 16th Bryant scored 65 points against the Trail Blazers for an overtime win. He then came back two nights later to score 50 points on the Timberwolves to win 109-102. Then on March 22nd against the Grizzlies that man balled out again for 60 points in a close 121-119 win over the Grizzlies. Then on March 23rd he scored 50 on the team that drafted him the Hornets, and took the win. That was four straight games with 50 points. Making Bryant the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to do so. His streak was snapped when he was “held” to 43 points. What an incredible run this was by Bryant. 




2 Kobe Bryant’s Last Game 

On April 13th, 2016 we all woke up in a world where it’d be our last day being able to watch Kobe Bryant play a basketball game. Yes a sad day but more of a bittersweet day. Of course Kobe being Kobe gave us one last ride. With no playoffs in sight the game plan was clearly give it to aging Kobe and see what happens. The man delivered one last time. Bryant scored 60 points in his final game in the NBA with a win over the Utah Jazz. It was emotional farewell speech as he said those famous words “Mamba out.”




1 Kobe Scores 81 Points 

Don’t think their is any shocker here but the number one Kobe Bryant moment is when he scored 81 points on the Raptors. On January 22nd, 2006 the Lakers went to go play the Toronto Raptors. A month after Bryant scored his career high in points with 62. He would up that on this day. Bryant goes for 81 points shooting 28-for-46 from the field, 18 for 20 from the stripe, and 7 for 13 behind the arc. The Lakers were down by 18 at halftime. Bryant went on to score 55 points in the 2nd half that would give the Lakers a 122-104 win. This career milestone made him the second player to score 80 or more points in a game. The only other to do it Wilt Chamberlain's with his famous 100-point game in 1962. There’s only been 5 players beside Kobe to score 70 or more than 70 in a game David Thompson (73 in 1978), Elgin Baylor (71 in 1960), and David Robinson (71 in 1994), and Devin Booker (2017). What a performance it was and was vintage Kobe Bryant. 


Thank You Kobe Bryant 💜💛


By Matthew Doherty

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