Lakers Lookback: Remembering Kobe Bryant's 81-Point Game 18 Years Later

Simply one of the best individual performances in sports history...

January 22, 2006. Every fan of the Los Angeles Lakers can remember where they were that night.

18 years ago, former Lakers Hall-of-Fame guard Kobe Bryant put on one of the greatest individual performances in sports history. He dropped a sensational 81 points to help lead the team to a win over the Toronto Raptors, and he made it look easy as well. 

Only Wilt Chamberlin's 100-point performance saw a player score more points in a single game.

Bryant finished the contest with 81 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block. The next highest scorer for the Lakers was point guard Smush Parker with 13 points.

18 years ago today: Kobe Bryant's legendary 81 point game. 🐐

28-46 FG, 7-13 3PT, 18-20 FT.
pic.twitter.com/Ig2vV65V5Y

— Kobe Bryant Stories & Motivation (@kobehighlight) January 22, 2024

For someone who was criticized for his efficiency his entire career, Bryant was spectacular in this effort. He shot 28-46 from the field, and seven for 13 from beyond the three-point line. Bryant also added in 18 of 20 free throws as well. 

But even with the performance of Bryant, it wasn't an easy win for the Lakers.

It was a comeback effort for Los Angeles, as they trailed by 14 points at halftime. They went down by as many as 18 in the third quarter, but on the back of Bryant, they stormed back.

He scored 55 of his 81 points in the second half of the game, including 23 in the final nine minutes of the fourth quarter. He just simply took over, and there was nothing the Raptors could do to stop him.

It was one of those moments where time almost stood still for the player, and the defense had no answer. To this day, we haven't seen another performance like this, and it still sits as the second-best scoring game in NBA history.