Which was the more spectacular performance

[rAm]

Thanks for tha love, you my number one fan
I'll rape the outta your mouth even if you a man
Since you're so in love with how good my taste
I wanna ask right now if I can in your face

hahahahaha

[Reggie Miller]

Why do people keep bringing up how bad the Toronto Raptors were when Kobe scored 81 points? Kobe isn't the only great NBA player to play against teams. How come no one else scored 80 points on teams. There have been teams with piss poor defenses every season since the NBA started. How come no one else other than Kobe and Wilt scored over 80 points in a game?

Kobe's 81 point game might not be better than some other great performances, especially ones in the playoffs when the games matter much more. But, stop discrediting 81 points like anyone could have done it against the Toronto Raptors. The fact is, other than Kobe and Wilt, no one else did. That tells you no matter how much you think the Raptors team helped, it's still pretty ing ridiculous to score 81 points in an NBA game.

I don't disagree, per se. However, don't you admit that there are other factors?

Top Five Reasons Why a Coach Might Not Let a Player Score 70+ Points

5. "Showing the other team up." Probably not the factor it once was, to be frank, but there it is. Guys used to get knocked on their asses for dunking back in the day, FWIW.

4. "We're all just a big happy family here." Well, it helps when one player isn't taking over 70% of the FGA.

3. Injury. Technically, you could probably count this twice. Playing more minutes and more intense minutes would increase the chances for a normal injury. There is also a chance you are playing a team like the Thuggets and they start targeting the high-scorer.

2. Efficiency. Odds are, if one of your players has forty points at the half, at least another one of your players is going to spend a LOT of time open from here on out. Most successful veteran players will pass out of a double or triple-team when possible.

1. Playing Time and Contract Considerations. Some players have to have the ball to get started, or they may not be any use at all if they aren't scoring. Some guys are allowed to play themselves into shape every year and need the time. Some players may need to meet certain incentives for contractual reasons, etc. There's no reason to take a flyer on a CBA guy if he's going to sit and clap for ten days.

Is scoring 81 points difficult? yes. At the same time, a lot of things have to break your way. It's not a pure question of skill.

[RonMexico]

ing wrong. it was duncan. already stated.

I'm pretty sure that was Bowen.

[Flight3107]

I'm pretty sure that was Bowen.

Wrong, it was Duncan.

[RonMexico]

Wrong, it was Duncan.

Yeah, definitely Bowen.

[Indazone]

at 0:15 mark. It was Duncan - # 21

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVMrp...eature=related

[TheMadHatter]

You are an idiot, and the article you quote is even more idiotic.

"Jackson did the right thing this time, because Kobe ultimately wasn't playing against the Raptors. He was playing against all the guys who never scored 80, or even 70 -- Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Dominique Wilkins, Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West, Karl Malone, Bob McAdoo, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pete Maravich, George Gervin, Bernard King and on and on."

Since Pistol Pete is dead, I'm pretty ing sure that Bryant was playing against the Raptors, after all. Scoring 81 points with a corpse guarding you is probably pretty easy.


"For his audience, this was not about beating the Raptors but rather the pinch-me thrill of being in the arena during the greatest individual performance of the past four decades."

Which, oddly enough, consisted of beating the buzzsaw that is the Raptors. Call me crazy, but I think you would have some pretty pissed of Laker fans if Bryant scored 81 in a loss to the Raptors.


You cannot have 46 FGA "in the flow of a game." This is a self-evident fact when sometimes entire teams don't have 46 FGA in a regulation game. It's the equivalent of shooting someone "accidentally" fifteen times, reloading, and then shooting them "accidentally" fifteen times again.

You lose all credibility the moment you say ridiculous like this:


"Scoring 81 points with a corpse guarding you is probably pretty easy."

There are worse defenders than Mo Pete in the NBA. Why hasn't this been done before? Why has nobody even come within 10 pts of 81? Why has there only been one player to even score over 70 outside of Kobe and Wilt?

You can't answer these questions truthfully because your a hater, plain and simple. The bottomline is 81 points is without question a more spectacular accomplishment than what T-Mac did. I can guarantee you if you polled NBA players and people who PLAY basketball that they would likely agree. Armchair quarterbacks like yourself are good for one thing and one thing only, hating.

[Flight3107]

wipe your chin off, there is still a little there.

[JamStone]

I don't disagree, per se. However, don't you admit that there are other factors?

Top Five Reasons Why a Coach Might Not Let a Player Score 70+ Points

5. "Showing the other team up." Probably not the factor it once was, to be frank, but there it is. Guys used to get knocked on their asses for dunking back in the day, FWIW.

4. "We're all just a big happy family here." Well, it helps when one player isn't taking over 70% of the FGA.

3. Injury. Technically, you could probably count this twice. Playing more minutes and more intense minutes would increase the chances for a normal injury. There is also a chance you are playing a team like the Thuggets and they start targeting the high-scorer.

2. Efficiency. Odds are, if one of your players has forty points at the half, at least another one of your players is going to spend a LOT of time open from here on out. Most successful veteran players will pass out of a double or triple-team when possible.

1. Playing Time and Contract Considerations. Some players have to have the ball to get started, or they may not be any use at all if they aren't scoring. Some guys are allowed to play themselves into shape every year and need the time. Some players may need to meet certain incentives for contractual reasons, etc. There's no reason to take a flyer on a CBA guy if he's going to sit and clap for ten days.

Is scoring 81 points difficult? yes. At the same time, a lot of things have to break your way. It's not a pure question of skill.

A few points of qualification:

1. Showing up a team is more of a factor if you're on the road in front of "their" crowd. Kobe's 81 point performance was in Los Angeles in front of a home crowd that wanted PJ to keep Kobe in the game until the end.

2. Toronto was leading the game at half time by 14 points. Lakers were only up 6 points after three quarters. The game was within 10 points until about 5-6 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Kobe was only left in probably about 4-5 minutes more than he should have been at the end of the game, and at that point, it was clear that he was doing something special. The crowd knew it. Kobe's teammates knew it. Phil Jackson knew it. He was staying in for the duration at that point.

3. Kobe didn't take 70% of the team's field goal attempts. He took 52% of the team's field goal attempts. Even if you factor in the free throws, he took 54% of the team's field goal attempts. Compare that to the season averages, and he usually attempted one-third of the team's field goal attempts. While he shot way more than average, consider he shot 61% from the field, 54% from three-point range, and 90% from the free throw line. It was one of those nights. You'd be hard-pressed to find any of his teammates complain that particular game the way Kobe was playing.

4. Kobe played 42 minutes in that 81 point game. His season average for that year was 41 mpg. Injury is something that can happen at any time. Like I said already, Kobe probably stayed on the court about 4-5 minutes too long at the end of the game, but at that point, history was being made. He wasn't going to be taken out. The game was close enough through most of the second half to warrant Kobe logging heavy minutes.

5. Kobe didn't tear it up against Toronto in the first half. He had 26 points in the first half. While that's a lot, it's only about one-third of the way to 81 points. Plus the Lakers were down by 14 points at half time. Kobe took most of his shots in the second half and they were falling. He was the reason the Lakers got back in the game and eventually won it. He didn't have 40 at half. It looked lik a good opportunity for him to score 50 points, but he wasn't ballhogging in the second half through double teams and while all his teammates were wide open. Remember, this was the Toronto Raptors. They weren't too smart in reacting defensively. Kobe shot 65% from the field in the second half (17-for-26), which probably means he didn't have horrible shot selection and/or he was just that hot from the field (6-for-11 from three point range in the second half).

6. As I already intimated, playing time wasn't a factor until the last 4-5 minutes of the game, and at that point it was about writing a paragraph in NBA history. Plus the game was close enough through midway through the fourth quarter. No CBA player or a player with contract incentives took precedent to what was happening with Kobe's scoring that game, not even close. In fact, the Raptors played their regular rotation themselves for the entire game. It wasn't a blowout. 16 points is a good margin for the final score, but it wasn't a blowout.

[RonMexico]

I've been posting on this message board for over 3 years and still few people understand sarcasm. Obviously, it's Duncan... I've seen the video - in fact, I watched the event live - I just made a mistake on my first post, stretch then called me out, and so I acted like I was right despite the fact that there is AMPLE VIDEO EVIDENCE to the contrary. I don't see "SpursDynasty" or "Kill Bill Pana" next to my avatar, so through simple deduction, you can assume my moronic posts are jokes.

"OMG!! He must be a dumb asshole who can't see that Tim Duncan fouled!! Besides, everyone knows that Bruce Bowen plays such scrappy defense that no ref will ever call a foul on him anyway!!! LOL!!! Goooooo Cowboys!!!!!!!!!"

[sook]

13 points in 35 seconds is next to impossible. Everything has to happen just right, it's like one in a million. Somehow I just don't buy it that Jordan couldn't score 81 if he wanted to.

Thats what im saying, not as a rox fan but hitting 4 threes simultaneously including and and 1.

Which one would i rather do? Kobe...no1 will 4get that.

But this guy hit the nail...everything has to fall into place and it was the greatest close to a game ive ever seen

[JamStone]

Everything has to fall into place exactly for someone to hit 4 three pointers in 35 seconds, which helps support that there is much more luck involved in it than a player systematically disecting a team for 81 points. 81 points, when you know the guy is going to shoot and probably even know what he wants to do and even be in a set defense with double and triple teams, and still can't stop him.

The final 35 seconds is a mad scramble, have to get that turnover, and hurry up and shoot three pointers, where the defense is all spreadout on the perimeter at the other three point shooters. That's why a guy like Rodney Rogers can hit three 3-pointers in 9 seconds.

T-Mac's 13 points in 35 seconds might have been more off-the-edge-of-your-seat exciting. Kobe's 81 points is more impressive when you think what a player has to do, what level of play that player had to sustain for over 40 minutes of basketball, and when you figure much of it happened against a set defense instead of a mad scramble.

[Reggie Miller]

A few points of qualification:

1. Showing up a team is more of a factor if you're on the road in front of "their" crowd. Kobe's 81 point performance was in Los Angeles in front of a home crowd that wanted PJ to keep Kobe in the game until the end.

2. Toronto was leading the game at half time by 14 points. Lakers were only up 6 points after three quarters. The game was within 10 points until about 5-6 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Kobe was only left in probably about 4-5 minutes more than he should have been at the end of the game, and at that point, it was clear that he was doing something special. The crowd knew it. Kobe's teammates knew it. Phil Jackson knew it. He was staying in for the duration at that point.

3. Kobe didn't take 70% of the team's field goal attempts. He took 52% of the team's field goal attempts. Even if you factor in the free throws, he took 54% of the team's field goal attempts. Compare that to the season averages, and he usually attempted one-third of the team's field goal attempts. While he shot way more than average, consider he shot 61% from the field, 54% from three-point range, and 90% from the free throw line. It was one of those nights. You'd be hard-pressed to find any of his teammates complain that particular game the way Kobe was playing.

4. Kobe played 42 minutes in that 81 point game. His season average for that year was 41 mpg. Injury is something that can happen at any time. Like I said already, Kobe probably stayed on the court about 4-5 minutes too long at the end of the game, but at that point, history was being made. He wasn't going to be taken out. The game was close enough through most of the second half to warrant Kobe logging heavy minutes.

5. Kobe didn't tear it up against Toronto in the first half. He had 26 points in the first half. While that's a lot, it's only about one-third of the way to 81 points. Plus the Lakers were down by 14 points at half time. Kobe took most of his shots in the second half and they were falling. He was the reason the Lakers got back in the game and eventually won it. He didn't have 40 at half. It looked lik a good opportunity for him to score 50 points, but he wasn't ballhogging in the second half through double teams and while all his teammates were wide open. Remember, this was the Toronto Raptors. They weren't too smart in reacting defensively. Kobe shot 65% from the field in the second half (17-for-26), which probably means he didn't have horrible shot selection and/or he was just that hot from the field (6-for-11 from three point range in the second half).

6. As I already intimated, playing time wasn't a factor until the last 4-5 minutes of the game, and at that point it was about writing a paragraph in NBA history. Plus the game was close enough through midway through the fourth quarter. No CBA player or a player with contract incentives took precedent to what was happening with Kobe's scoring that game, not even close. In fact, the Raptors played their regular rotation themselves for the entire game. It wasn't a blowout. 16 points is a good margin for the final score, but it wasn't a blowout.

Jam Stone,

All good points, but I wasn't talking about Bryant. I was pointing out why coaches probably discourage (or even do not allow) players from scoring much above 50 points in a single game.


MadHatter,

Contrary to what most of you seem to believe, it isn't all about Kobe.

I hate Kobe Bryant. I am also a rational, intelligent human being with some sense of dignity and proportionality. It is possible to hate Kobe Bryant and to have a completely rational argument as to why 81 points in a regular season game at home against the Raptors isn't the pinnacle of basketball achievement.

Let's look at them again:

1) PPG for an individual game is a counting stat. It is context-free. Standing alone, "81" tells us nothing.

2) It's not the record; 100 points is the record. With a counting stat, you can talk about how Chamberlain's NBA was different all you want. It doesn't matter. That's why counting stats really aren't very useful.

3) Individual scoring performances in the 50-60 point range are not common, but they certainly aren't rare. Even league average players have scored over 50 points several times since 1986. After 60 points, there is an almost logarithmic progression as each point scored becomes more difficult.

This cuts both ways. Obviously, no scrub has ever scored over 60 points in a game. On the other hand, it would appear that most of your dominant players are more than capable of doing so (see: Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, David Robinson, Shaq, etc.) The question then becomes why don't they? My best answer is that the game isn't normally played that way, and coaches have considerable motivation not to go out and try that approach in every game.


I will cheerfully admit that Bryant is one of the better players in the NBA today. I will cheerfully admit that it probably isn't a coincidence that he has four 60+ point games. I will cheerfully admit that he didn't get his 81 by being a complete ball-hogging asshole.

I will not admit that 81 points in a regular season game at home against the Raptors is the greatest moment in NBA history, because it isn't. Call me a hater, call me someone who has never played (internet tough guys always think they have ESP, amazing ain't it?), call me a pinswiggling pedophile, but it doesn't somehow make 81 points in a regular season game at home against the Raptors the culmination of Jerry Buss's wonderful and holy plan for my life.

Again, Kobe fans are the most delusional people I have ever met on da interwebs. If you aren't sucking his , then you're a hater. Fine, I'm a hater.

[bostonguy]

The "Machine" had a performance that is on an epic level...
There should be an "other" category for this one to be in.

[dirk4mvp]

Jam Stone,

All good points, but I wasn't talking about Bryant. I was pointing out why coaches probably discourage (or even do not allow) players from scoring much above 50 points in a single game.


MadHatter,

Contrary to what most of you seem to believe, it isn't all about Kobe.

I hate Kobe Bryant. I am also a rational, intelligent human being with some sense of dignity and proportionality. It is possible to hate Kobe Bryant and to have a completely rational argument as to why 81 points in a regular season game at home against the Raptors isn't the pinnacle of basketball achievement.

Let's look at them again:

1) PPG for an individual game is a counting stat. It is context-free. Standing alone, "81" tells us nothing.

2) It's not the record; 100 points is the record. With a counting stat, you can talk about how Chamberlain's NBA was different all you want. It doesn't matter. That's why counting stats really aren't very useful.

3) Individual scoring performances in the 50-60 point range are not common, but they certainly aren't rare. Even league average players have scored over 50 points several times since 1986. After 60 points, there is an almost logarithmic progression as each point scored becomes more difficult.

This cuts both ways. Obviously, no scrub has ever scored over 60 points in a game. On the other hand, it would appear that most of your dominant players are more than capable of doing so (see: Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, David Robinson, Shaq, etc.) The question then becomes why don't they? My best answer is that the game isn't normally played that way, and coaches have considerable motivation not to go out and try that approach in every game.


I will cheerfully admit that Bryant is one of the better players in the NBA today. I will cheerfully admit that it probably isn't a coincidence that he has four 60+ point games. I will cheerfully admit that he didn't get his 81 by being a complete ball-hogging asshole.

I will not admit that 81 points in a regular season game at home against the Raptors is the greatest moment in NBA history, because it isn't. Call me a hater, call me someone who has never played (internet tough guys always think they have ESP, amazing ain't it?), call me a pinswiggling pedophile, but it doesn't somehow make 81 points in a regular season game at home against the Raptors the culmination of Jerry Buss's wonderful and holy plan for my life.

Again, Kobe fans are the most delusional people I have ever met on da interwebs. If you aren't sucking his , then you're a hater. Fine, I'm a hater.

Nice post, Reggie.


This last part sums it up very nice. It describes most of these stupid ass lakerfans perfectly.

[JamStone]

Jam Stone,

All good points, but I wasn't talking about Bryant. I was pointing out why coaches probably discourage (or even do not allow) players from scoring much above 50 points in a single game.

Fair enough. I read your post like it was directing a criticism of Kobe's 81 point game. But, I see what you're saying.

That said, while the points you make probably do come into play many times, I'm sure there have been several instances where they weren't factors and a player could have tried to go for as many points as possible, especially with Jordan. That's why Jordan has four 60-point games himself as well as another 25 50-point games. I'd say another guy is Allen Iverson who would have had the green light to shoot til the final buzzer and would have had no hesitation to do so. Yet, he hadn't come close to 70, much less 80 points.

There have been plenty of players that have had the opportunity to score as much as they can, and they didn't get 80. Most didn't get 70.

I agree the 81 point game in a regular season against a bad Toronto Raptors leaves the performance not as great as some others. I just don't think it's right for some people to discredit it with implications that most great NBA scorers could have done it. I don't believe most could have.

[Reggie Miller]

Fair enough. I read your post like it was directing a criticism of Kobe's 81 point game. But, I see what you're saying.

That said, while the points you make probably do come into play many times, I'm sure there have been several instances where they weren't factors and a player could have tried to go for as many points as possible, especially with Jordan. That's why Jordan has four 60-point games himself as well as another 25 50-point games. I'd say another guy is Allen Iverson who would have had the green light to shoot til the final buzzer and would have had no hesitation to do so. Yet, he hadn't come close to 70, much less 80 points.

There have been plenty of players that have had the opportunity to score as much as they can, and they didn't get 80. Most didn't get 70.

I agree the 81 point game in a regular season against a bad Toronto Raptors leaves the performance not as great as some others. I just don't think it's right for some people to discredit it with implications that most great NBA scorers could have done it. I don't believe most could have.

1. Up until now, only one guy who is NOT a no-doubt, first ballot hall of famer has ever done it. That man was Tracy McGrady, and he may very well make it into the HOF as well. Obviously, ONLY a great NBA scorer even has a shot at this. I agree; clearly, it is not easy.

2. There used to be a lot more "unwritten rules" of NBA basketball, and more than a fair share of thugs to enforce them. This was a major obstacle to the development of the game in the 1960s, and I feel pretty certain that concerns over retaliation used to play a big role. In fact, the most surprising thing to me about Wilt's 100 point game is that no one tried to cripple him for it. Well into the 1990s, there have been teams I would not try this with at home. I remember Dr. J telling stories about transitioning to the NBA, and how NBA players were constantly undercutting him for dunking on them.

3. Still, there have been more than a few head cases, ego-trippers, and Faulknerian man-children in this league over the years. Obviously, players like Chocolate Thunder or World B. Free weren't too worried about NBA etiquette and decorum. The entire "don't show the other team up" mentality can only explain so much.


Personally, I think most of your truly dominant scorers were or are capable of breaking off 80 points in a game under the right cir stances, it's just that those cir stances don't come around very often. The key there is identifying the truly dominant talents. I'm talking about less than 20 guys, just to give some sort of frame of reference.

[lefty]

Jordan's 54 pts /or / Reggie Miller's 25 4th quarter points (shooting 100%) / or 8 pts with a few seconds left / or/ Isiaiah's 16 pts in the last 1:30 (all performances vs Knicks )

Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy superior to Kobe's 81.

Because they happened in big playoff games against good defensive teams, while Kobe scored 81 pts in a meaningless (for both teams) regular season game, against a crappy defensive team

[dirk4mvp]

I'd put money on Kobe not being able to do what Lebron did.

[Dex]

I haven't read through all of these posts, but 21-20-10-8 better be getting some frickin love in here.

I mean, it was ONLY a championship clinching Finals Game 6.

I know it's not as spectacular because it's just Duncan being Duncan....but if he had nailed that quad-double, you would HAVE to put it on this list.

[Reggie Miller]

Kobe on the other hand, never brought the ball up court, he never called his own number. The team ran the triangle offense, and unlike the other sorry players that were playing with Kobe, none of them took their open shots. They all passed up shots to get the ball around to Kobe. Laker fans got tired of seeing Kobe have to bail the team out because other players were too afraid to shoot wide open shots. Kobe got his within the flow of the offense... Period.

You have your head so far up Bryant's ass it isn't even funny. Look at what you have written.

If a player passes up a wide-open shot to defer to someone else, THAT IS NOT WITHIN THE FLOW OF THE OFFENSE.

You are delusional. I never called Bryant a ballhog. I am merely stating the obvious: you can't score 81 points "within the flow of the offense." It's ridiculous on its face.

I'm a hater, all right. I hate cretins like you.

[JamStone]

I'd put money on Kobe not being able to do what Lebron did.

LeBron scored 29 of Cleveland's last 30 points in that game 5 of the 2007 ECF.

Kobe scored 27 of the Lakers 42 third quarter points in the game where he scored 81 points.

LeBron scored those 29 points on 11-for-13 field goal shooting in the final 16:05 minutes.

After missing his first two shots of the quarter, Kobe scored his 27 points on 11-for-13 field goal shooting in the remaining 10 minutes and 42 seconds of that third quarter.


LeBron:
29 points
11-for-13 FG
3-for-6 FT
2-for-2 3PT
16:05 minutes

Kobe:
27 points
11-for-13 FG
1-for-1 FT
4-for-4 3PT
10:42 minutes

Plus the Cleveland Cavaliers were going back and forth with the Pistons, and during most of that stretched were up by a few points. When Kobe first started off in that 28 point quarter, the Lakers were down 14 points. By the end of the quarter, they were up 6 points. So, while LeBron was going at it back and forth with the Pistons, Kobe was digging his team out of a double digit deficit.

I realize that Kobe had a couple teammates that scored in that stretched, but you can't fault a player for having teammates that shot the ball better during a stretch. And, I also realize that LeBron's performance was in a conference finals game while Kobe's performance was in a January regular season game. But, that third quarter proves Kobe is more than capable of doing such a feat. If you consider how he's been able to perform under pressure on the biggest stages in the playoffs, there's really no reason to think he couldn't do something similar to what LeBron did.

Having said that, he hasn't, not in the playoffs. But, I think it's foolish to say Kobe isn't able to do it.

[lefty]

LeBron scored 29 of Cleveland's last 30 points in that game 5 of the 2007 ECF.

Kobe scored 27 of the Lakers 42 third quarter points in the game where he scored 81 points.

LeBron scored those 29 points on 11-for-13 field goal shooting in the final 16:05 minutes.

After missing his first two shots of the quarter, Kobe scored his 27 points on 11-for-13 field goal shooting in the remaining 10 minutes and 42 seconds of that third quarter.


LeBron:
29 points
11-for-13 FG
3-for-6 FT
2-for-2 3PT
16:05 minutes

Kobe:
27 points
11-for-13 FG
1-for-1 FT
4-for-4 3PT
10:42 minutes

Plus the Cleveland Cavaliers were going back and forth with the Pistons, and during most of that stretched were up by a few points. When Kobe first started off in that 28 point quarter, the Lakers were down 14 points. By the end of the quarter, they were up 6 points. So, while LeBron was going at it back and forth with the Pistons, Kobe was digging his team out of a double digit deficit.

I realize that Kobe had a couple teammates that scored in that stretched, but you can't fault a player for having teammates that shot the ball better during a stretch. And, I also realize that LeBron's performance was in a conference finals game while Kobe's performance was in a January regular season game. But, that third quarter proves Kobe is more than capable of doing such a feat. If you consider how he's been able to perform under pressure on the biggest stages in the playoffs, there's really no reason to think he couldn't do something similar to what LeBron did.

Having said that, he hasn't, not in the playoffs. But, I think it's foolish to say Kobe isn't able to do it.

Lebron did it against against the Detroit Pistons in the ECF
Kobe did it against a then crappy team in a meaningless game

[Obstructed_View]

Actually, that wasn't a closer game. It was a blowout by the middle of the 3rd.

Yeah, that's right. Something about that seemed wrong when I typed it.

[JamStone]

Ok, how about Kobe's 30 point third quarter against the Utah Jazz in 2006 when he shot 9-for-9 from the field, including 2-for-2 from three point range, and 10-for-10 from the free throw line, against a Utah Jazz team that won the NW division that season, had an aggressive defense and a very good perimeter defender in AK-47, and a coach who would make sure his players would put a guy on his ass for killing them offensively.

My point isn't that Kobe's performance is better than LeBron's. It's that he's capable of doing something like that offensively.