At face value, it seems that Kobe Bryant’s 81-point outburst in 2006 was an extreme act of selfishness. After all, the Los Angeles Lakers icon was known for being a “ball hog” who jacked up shots over five defenders.
But those who watched the game would claim otherwise. Yes, Bryant took ridiculously tough shots over multiple defenders at times, but he had to do it because his team just could not find an offensive rhythm.
Phil gives Kobe the nod
Phil Jackson, who has called out Kobe for taking over when he didn’t have to, approved of the guard’s 81-point performance. Steve Kerr, the Phoenix Suns’ general manager during that time, shared his conversation with the Zen Master.
“I talked to Phil [Jackson], and he believes that it was all in the context of the game, which was important to him,” Kerr said, per the New York Post. “He believes that’s what Kobe needed to do. That was the beauty of that game.”
“You see someone get 81 points, and you say, ‘Well, he must have been a gunner,’ but the thing about it was they were out of the game, and he brought them all the way back in a span of four minutes,” Kerr added. “They don’t win the game without him. He had to do that. It’s hard to believe, but true.”
The takeover
Kobe sat down in the first six minutes of the second quarter. The Lakers looked lost without their best offensive player, and not even Phil’s triangle offense could save them.
When “The Black Mamba” checked back into the game, he quickly got to work. In six minutes, the Philly native scored 12 points on a scorching 5-of-7 from the field. In hindsight, the Lakers superstar felt that if Jackson had not sat him down, he would’ve scored more than 81 points.
But Bean’s second-quarter efforts were not enough. The Raptors had snatched the momentum away, and when the halftime buzzer sounded, Toronto had a comfortable 49-63 lead.
It was perhaps in the Lakers locker room that Bryant realized he had to push the gas pedal to the metal. Relying on his teammates, who were ice cold from the field, would lead to a big L.
And so, in the third quarter, the star guard exploded for 27 points. He followed it up with a 28-point effort in the fourth, sealing the Lakers victory in the process.
Perhaps this is why Bryant’s 81-point performance is regarded as one of the best games ever. While there have been similar instances of superstars taking over, they looked contrived, and some of them even came in losing efforts.
As Jackson said, Kobe had to do what he had to do. That night in January 2006 became the prime example of the Mamba Mentality. It became the ultimate mantra for the competitive spirit.