Kobe Bryant 40 points 13-26 FG 5 rebounds vs Pistons 2005-06

March 4th, 2006
Staples Center
Los Angeles, CA

Boxscore: http://www.nba.com/games/20060304/DETLAL/boxscore.html

Statline: 40 points, 13-26 FG, 13-13 FT, 1-3 3 pt, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

The Lakers were on a 2nd of a back to back against the best team in the league, the Detriot Pistons. Kobe Bryant was playing with a sinus infection. But he certainly didn't show any signs of it in this game.

Playing like a man on a mission, Bryant jumpstarted his team scoring 15 early points knocking down fadeaways left and right. He also had an assist, assisting or scoring on 17 of the team's 32 points. However midway through the 2nd quarter, Bryant picked up his 3rd quarter of the half, having to sit down the rest of the quarter. The Detroit Pistons took advantage and outscored the Lakers by 10 in the 2nd quarter. Chauncey Billups scored 20 points in the 1st half including a demoralizing three point shot to end the 2nd quarter from 30 feet.

In the 2nd half, Kobe Bryant made sure that the Piston's lead would not extend. With Kobe Bryant guarding Chauncey Billups throughout the 2nd half, Billups managed to score only 4 points the rest of the way. Bryant also kept the Lakers within striking distance hitting jumpshots from every spot on the floor. Even the best defenders on the Pistons from Richard Hamilton to Tayshaun Prince could not stop Kobe from scoring. The Lakers however failed to get stops on the other end. The Pistons led 78-68 at one point. That was when Lamar Odom stepped it up and keyed a decisive 18-0 run to give LA an 86-78 lead. That was when Kobe Bryant sealed the deal. Knocking down his perfected fadeaway jumpshot on the left wing, Bryant scored 12 4th quarter points to run away with a 105-94 victory over the Detroit Pistons. It was his 18th 40+ point game of the season with more than a month of basketball to play in 36 minutes of play too.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Kobe
• Bryant
• Tayshaun
• Prince
• lockdown
• defense
• fadeaway
• jumpshot
• innate
• ability
• Chauncey
• Billups
• zone
• finals
• 2004
• clutch

[LakersRule24]

Rate, comment, subscribe.

[Lakers24pwnz]

without kobe there'd be no nba :)

[San72390]

Damn. Kobe is such a dominating player. Without KObe, the Lakers win under 20 games.

[mahalkosialm]

he can play without despite injury!

[Kobe24Everr]

kobe teh best

[MrPrincePhengie]

@243354 He should of had been MVP that year.

[243354]

Such a incredible season.

35/5/5/2

27 40+ pt games

8 50+ pt games

81 pts

62 pts in three quarters

averaged 40+PPG in two different months

4 straight 45+ pt games

just amazing.

[lakerfan3118]

look at those numbers at 0:43...

35/5/4/2

jesus christ

[PeruvianCactus]

@San72390 Not really, probably more. Lamar Odom Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum are pretty good.

[trezeguet4ever]

@12939875 i seriously dont know how he didn't get an mvp that year steve nash is an incredible player but steve had a better team, kobe had a worse team and still carried them

[MsFuckduck]

@San72390 Well, you can't just say that. How can a team not have at least one superstar? You have to replace Kobe with another superstar and then say something like that

[sargefalconman]

Ever since after the 2004 finals, the lakers are beating the pistons every game till now

[sabishiihito]

If he'd been playing this well in the 2004 Finals I don't think LA would have lost to Detroit...