Kobe Bryant greatest games: 61pts at Madison Square Garden (2009)

(2009) Kobe Bryant torches the New York Knicks for 61pts - the most ever by any player at the Madison Square Garden.

Its a blessing to do what you love and to have moments like this. That's how Kobe Bryant described his historic performance. With perhaps the need to lift up his team following the news of Andrew Bynum's knee injury, which will sideline him 8 to 12 weeks, KB amazed the MSG crowd by scoring 61pts and leading L.A to a 126-117 win over the Knicks.

Kobe started the game by hitting his first three shots and was clearly in attack mode. He scored 18pts in the first quarter and finished the half with 34pts - 2nd most by a player this season behind Melo's 36. He added 12 more in the 3rd and spent most of the 4th at the foul line, sanking one free throw after another.

Kobe's absolutely stunning offensive performance was rewarded by chants of "MVP" and cheers from the MSG crowd as the reigning MVP left the game with 2 min remaining. He was better than Michael Jordan's 55 in March of 1995, the old record for an opponent. He was better than Bernard King's 60 against the Nets on Christmas in 1984. His 20-for-20 performance from the line on Monday was second only to Dominique Wilkins, who sank all 23 of his free throws against the Bulls in Dec. 1992.

Bryant, who also finished with the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season, left to a loud ovation after the 24th 50-point game of his career. He recorded his fifth career 60-point game, the second most in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain's 32!

Single handedly, he torched the Knicks and provided Lakers fans something to cheer about after the bad news Bynum received just hours before the game.
Kobe made a statement and showed the league that with or without Bynum, you don't want to face the Lakers..you don't want to meet Kobe Bryant.

Kobe: 61pts (19/31FGS & 20/20 FTS) 3/6 from 3pt range 3asts 1blk in 36minutes

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• kobe
• bryant
• greatest
• games
• 61
• pts
• madison
• square
• garden
• new
• york
• knicks
• los
• angeles
• lakers
• lebron
• james
• michael
• jordan
• 55
• nba
• basketball
• all
• star
• dwayne
• wade
• shaq
• O'Neal
• bulls
• highlights

[thug8200]

i will never forget this especially what he did to gallinari o my goodness he hung in the air long enough to discuss his finances and due his taxes

[scheming95]

@lerock22 That was the stupidest comment i've ever read. He only scored 3 dunks/layups so your David Lee excuse abou him being in the middle is a fail. So what if he scored 81 vs the Raptors, there were good teams and bad teams in the 90's as well as there are today. Yeah Celtics, Bulls, Knicks, Pistons, Jazz were good back then but what about the other 25 teams huh? I like how you assume every team was great then, now slap yourself.

[catsnake7]

@TheLucifer69 so true man!!

[catsnake7]

what an awesome performance on the biggest of all stages!!

[catsnake7]

i was there!!!

[Econ1260MetZRoberto]

@mikesta421 he received it too

[DonCorleone87]

unforgettable moment. If you can't appreciate this from Kobe Bryant you don't appreciate the game of basketball.

[thiennguyenX2]

@TheLucifer69 You do realize that you just brought up a bullshit KB hater point right?

81 was not KB's greatest game. Wanna know which was?

62 in 3 quarters against the Mavs. Kobe on his own, outscored the entire Mavs team with Dirk on it. Mavs are a shitty defensive team right? Had he not destroyed the Mavs in 3, he'd have to play the 4th, and probably would have broke 80+ again.

KB went 50+ three times in a row.

40+ TWELVE times in a row. If he's on, he can score on any team. True story.

[HailiesJoker]

NEW YORK FANS BECOME LAKERS FANS!

[TheLucifer69]

@JIX9ISLER1986 Why bring Lebron here? Are you crazy? You think that make Kobe look better. Look MJ 50+ against Celtics, Pistons, Knicks, Portland, Lakers when those team were Championship contender that's my point. Name Kobe greatest Playoffs game then compare that to MJ. Bring Lebron here, what a joke.

[JIX9ISLER1986]

@TheLucifer69 and lebrons career high is vs the toronto raptors he scored 56 points the team didnt even score 100pts and the cavs lost the game so what is your point