NBA: Kobe Bryant’s best games against every team

3. Kobe v. Wizards, March 28, 2003

55 points (15-29 FG), 9-13 3-pt shots against Michael Jordan

The Michael Jordan farewell tour of 2003 bears some resemblance to Kobe Bryant’s current edition. Jordan’s retirement didn’t seem as final; he had already retired twice before (in 1993 and 1998), and his marketing presence was still ubiquitous.

Unlike Kobe, Jordan had enjoyed a favorable reputation as a player and teammate – a reputation that has been since challenged – but Kobe’s current farewell has still been warm. Both receive or have received tributes in arenas across the NBA, and fans around the league have voraciously sought tickets to away games in order to capitalize on their last chance see a legend play in the flesh.

What Kobe’s tour is missing is a “passing of the torch” moment. The final time Jordan and Bryant played each other, we were able to see the past and future of the NBA at the same time.

Of the 55 points Kobe Bryant dropped that night, 42 of them were in the first half. In that half, Kobe scored 23 on nine consecutive shots. It was a Jordan-esque performance on front of the man himself, with Phil Jackson on the sideline.

There are wildly electrifying players in the NBA right now, but the Kobe Bryant farewell tour is missing its successor.

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