NBA: Kobe Bryant’s best games against every team

18. Kobe v. 76ers, January 6, 2006

48 points (19-29 FG), 10 rebounds, 7-7 3-pt FGs

It’s disingenuous to call the Sixers Kobe’s hometown team. Sure he went to high school in Philadelphia at Lower Merion, but a good chunk of his childhood was spent in Italy when his father played international ball. The closest thing Kobe has to a hometown team is the AC Milan football club.

Still, there is a bit of an element of homecoming whenever Kobe returns to Philly, or when the Sixers visit the Staples Center. The Sixers were the opponents for one of the best games of Kobe’s playoff career, Game 2 of the 2001 NBA Finals, when he posted 31 points, 6 assists and 8 rebounds after a shocking Game 1 loss for the Lakers. After that game, Kobe wasn’t about to make this reunion a feel-good moment.

From Bill Plaschke at the Los Angeles Times:

"[After the game], he was accosted one more time by a Philadelphia fan. He responded not with a curse or a gesture, but a perfectly calm Kobe Bryant prediction. “We’re going to cut your hearts out on Wednesday.”"

Kobe prevented the Lakers from going down 2-0, and Los Angeles would win out the rest of the series. It’s a great Kobe moment that needs to be mentioned, but it’s not his best game against Philly.

That would be the Lakers’ win over the Sixers in 2006, when he was a perfect 7-7 beyond the arc and grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with his 48 points. Apparently Smush Parker caught what Kobe was infected with; he finished 5-5 from beyond the arc and put up 24 points.

Not only did the victory stop the Lakers’ five game losing streak, it was the second of four straight where Kobe wouls score at least 45*.

*Kobe was suspended for the previous two games for elbowing the Memphis Grizzlies’ Mike Miller in the throat, a game where he scored 45 in a 100-99 loss

[H/T: Bill Plaschke; Los Angeles Times]

Next: #17