NBA: Kobe Bryant’s best games against every team

2.  Kobe v. Mavericks, December 20, 2005

62 points (18-31 FG), 8 rebounds, 22-25 FT in 32 minutes

This game is probably even more impressive (although less historically significant) than the one listed first. Kobe Bryant sat out the entire fourth quarter of this game, and by that time he had racked up 62 points. The score at the end of three was Lakers 95 – Mavericks 61. Kobe Bryant had outscored the Mavericks by himself through three quarters.

This wasn’t an awful Dallas Mavericks team either. The Mavs had entered the game at 18-6 and were well on their way to their first ever NBA Finals appearance. It’s just that Kobe was that unstoppable at this point in his career.

You keep seeing 2005-07 on this list, and that was in the weird spot in Kobe’s career when he was without Shaq or Pau Gasol. The result was a player who was not universally loved, but one that when he truly dominated the possession of the ball was the most dangerous in the NBA. Simply put, Kobe had to carry the load for his team.

Smush Parker also started in this game. He played for 29 minutes at point guard, shooting 2-7 from the field and 2-6 from the free throw line to finish the game with 7 points.

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