Kobe Bryant was a special talent who dominated the NBA with his two-way mastery.
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Bryant won 5 championships and had two jerseys retired during his 20-year stint with the Lakers. Kobe only took the court for the Lakers and is widely considered the franchise GOAT. This is no mean feat when your franchise has also seen the likes of Kareem, Magic, and Wilt in its famous purple and gold.
Kobe was Hollywood. Bryant’s all-action game style was a perfect fit in Los Angeles. The Black Mamba’s mentality, work ethic, and determination sparked Kobe mania in LA for the entirety of his career.
The wannabe-Michael Jordan-esque youngster blossomed into a full-grown superstar of his own within the blink of an eye. An alpha who instantly commanded respect, Kobe was a born leader capable of taking over games single-handedly.
One such famous incident came against the Blazers in 2007. The Lakers were heading into a battle with their conference rivals on the back of 7 consecutive losses. And in such a dire stage when in need of inspiration, the LA franchise had their rock to go to. And boy did he deliver.
How did Kobe help stop this temporary Laker rut?
Bryant did what he does best on a night the Lakers desperately needed him to. Kobe went ballistic and dropped an incredible 65 points on the Blazers. Bryant made shot after shot in this overtime thriller and gave the Laker faithful a memorable win to forget the streak that got them there.
Highlights show an offensive maestro go to work in isolation play after play. Kobe dug deep in his bag and got the Blazers hanging around not knowing how to deal with the Mamba.
And as if the 65 piece wasn’t enough, Kobe ended his show with a gorgeous signature fadeaway jumper. The jumper on budding Blazer star LaMarcus Aldridge was the icing on the cake.
Kobe put on an absolute offensive clinic. The highlights are genuinely mind-blowing. And the best part? This sparked off a 4 game run where Bryant dropped 50 or more in each game!
Peak Kobe was a force to reckon with. An offensive phenom who could be mentioned in the same breath as the MJs and Dr. Js of the world. And the above-mentioned clip gives a glimpse of the same.
Also read: Kobe Bryant’s attitude to win 2 stuffed $6 Blue Elephants gave early glimpses of his Mamba Mentality
