Kobe Bryant's Best Game Against Every NBA Team

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Date: 3/20/2006

Stat line: 43 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 5 STL, 18-39 FG, 0-5 3PT

Game score: 105-97, W

Complex's rating: 6 out of 10 Mambas

In what is considered one of the most heated rivalries in the game, it’s safe to assume that Celtics fans were less than pleased with the loss to the Lakers on March 20. Though, if we’re being honest, Celtics fans didn’t have much to cheer for that season anyways. Up against Tony Allen, it’s not a surprise that the game was such a close call. Allen did put up a remarkable fight in the last quarter, blocking and then scoring on Kobe. Nevertheless, Bryant prevailed scoring a whopping 43 points for his team and a much-needed win as the Lakers had lost the previous two games.

Date: 6/9/02

Stat Line: 36 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 14-23 FG, 1-3 3PT

Game Score: 106-103, W

Complex's Rating: 7 out of 10 Mambas

Despite the fact that Kobe has definitely put up more points against the Nets in other games (like his 46 points on November 27, 2005), this game should be considered one of Kobe’s greatest for the sole reason that he carried the team in the beginning of the fourth quarter when they were fighting to regain a lead.

Not to mention he then cemented a four-point lead in the last 19 seconds as he helped the Lakers go on to win their third game of the NBA Finals that year. And yes, if you didn’t already know, the Lakers finished off the season as champions having collected their fourth win the following game.

Date: 2/2/09

Stat Line: 61 PTS, 0 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 19-31 FG, 3-6 3PT

Game Score: 126-117, W

Complex's Rating: 9 out of 10 Mambas

By the time this game rolled around, the Lakers had only lost nine games all season. So it’s safe to say spirits were high, despite the fact that Andrew Bynum was injured the previous game against the Grizzlies (this was the second season in a row he was injured in a Grizzlies games). Nevertheless, the Lakers kept a steady lead against the Knicks throughout the course of the game, with Kobe keeping the team and fans in high spirits.

And when this Knicks game rolled around, Kobe wasn’t exactly new to record-setting games. So while this amazing 61-point game might be considered something expected from Bryant (it was his fifth above-60 point game after all), it was also a notable game for MSG, with Bryant setting the record for most points scored in the arena ever.

He surpassed Jordan’s infamous double-nickel game and topped Bernard King, who scored 60 points on Christmas in ’84. And though his record was beat out in 2012 when Carmelo Anthony scored 62 points, Kobe still holds the record for most amount of points made by an opponent at The Garden.

Date: 6/8/01

Stat Line: 31 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST, 2 STL, 11-23 FG, 1-2 3PT

Game Score: 96-89, W

Complex's Rating: 7.5 out of 10 Mambas

It’s always funny to remember that Kobe is from Philly, because back in 2001 he was public enemy number one. Though we can’t blame 76ers fans, after all, it was Kobe who started the feud with his “I’m coming to cut their hearts out” speech.

Sure he’s scored more points against the 76ers in other games, but this NBA Finals game was of most importance because the seemingly unstoppable Lakers were coming off of a startling loss in Game One.

Kobe made for an exciting Game Two by starting off with twelve points in the first quarter. By the middle of the third quarter, the Lakers gained and maintained a slight advantage that led to them evening the series. The Lakers would eventually win the next three games en route to becoming the 2001 NBA Champions.

Date: 1/22/06

Stat Line: 81 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 3 STL, 28-46 FG, 7-13 3PT

Game Score: 122-104, W

Complex's Rating: 50000 out of 10 Mambas

Whenever you think about Kobe Bryant’s best game ever, there is not one game that comes to mind other than the one against the Raptors in 2006. Second only to the 100-point game by Wilt Chamberlain 44 years ago, Kobe scored a whopping 81 points (which he boasted years later could have been 100 if he hadn’t made some silly mistakes).

Regardless, Bryant led his team to an explosive win after getting riled up in the beginning of the third quarter, when the Lakers trailed 18 points behind the Raptors. Before the third quarter it was a typical game for Kobe—14 points in the first quarter and 12 in the second. In the third quarter, when the magic started, he scored 27 points and then finished the game by scoring another 28 in the fourth.

It wasn’t a big surprise that Kobe the stadium to a standing ovation from the crowd that Sunday. He'd just cemented his status as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, after all.

Date: 12/15/09

Stat Line: 42 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 15-26 FG, 1-5 3PT

Game Score: 96-87, W

Complex's Rating: 5 out of 10 Mambas

It’s easy to shrug off a 40-point game by Kobe, considering it happens so often. In fact, Kobe has scored over 40 points against the Bulls on more than one occasion, including a 43-point outing in 2005. But while these 40-point games come easier to Kobe than other players, what’s not easy is scoring 42 points with a broken finger.

That’s right, Kobe still scored on the Bulls while wearing a splint on his broken right index finger.

It’s safe to say he didn’t take it easy on the Bulls, who were struggling during the beginning of the season. Starting off the game on a strong note, he scored 20 points in the first quarter alone. In the end he led the Lakers to their 19th win of the season, a season that would end with Los Angeles hoisting the championship trophy.

Date: 1/30/01

Stat Line: 47 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 12-26 FG, 0-1 3PT

Game Score: 102-96, W

Complex's Rating: 4 out of 10 Mambas

The 2001 season would be a special one for Bryant as it would mark his third season in a row winning the NBA championship. During this particular game the Lakers maintained a steady lead over the Cavaliers, surviving their second straight game without Shaq who was out due to an injured foot.

And while Bryant and O’Neal were having some battles over who was a bigger asset, with Shaq out it was Kobe’s time to shine. Kobe went on to win the game, posting 47 points—23 on free throws alone. It was Kobe’s sixth 40-point game and the fifth of the season.

Date: 11/17/09

Stat Line: 40 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL, 17-29 FG, 1-3 3PT

Game Score: 106-93, W

Complex's Rating: 5 out of 10 Mambas

Another game, another 40 points for Kobe. And while that seems to lose its zest after a while, what’s most noticeable about this 2009 Pistons game was that is was Kobe’s 100th 40-point game.

The Lakers hadn’t lost three straight games the entire season, as this win came after two losses. Starting off strong in the first three quarters despite the absence of Pau Gasol (who was out with a hamstring injury), the Lakers survived the Pistons' fourth-quarter rally; and though Kobe, who was suffering from a strained groin injury, wasn’t too excited about the Pistons making the game a little interesting towards the end, he too rallied to help lead the Lakers to another victory.

Date: 1/9/06

Stat Line: 45 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 14-32 FG, 2-6 3PT

Game Score: 96-90, W

Complex's Rating: 4 out of 10 Mambas

This would mark the first of three games where Kobe would put up at least 40 points against the Pacers, but the only game where it led to a win.

Not only was that a feat in its own, but this game was extra noteworthy due to the fact it was the fourth game in a row where Kobe dropped 45 points—setting one of his many NBA records by becoming the first player since Wilt Chamberlain (in 1964) to score at least 45 points in four consecutive games.

Date: 3/24/06

Stat Line: 43 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 12-26 FG, 5-10 3PT

Game Score: 101-96, W

Complex's Rating: 3.5 out of 10 Mambas

No stranger to a late-game victory, Kobe did not disappoint against the Bucks. What was most spectacular about Kobe’s performance during this go-round were the six free throws he made in the final 20 seconds of the game that cemented a win for the Lakers.

This victory marked the 10th consecutive loss for the Bucks against the Lakers, and the first time in two months that the Lakers achieved a 3-game win streak.

Date: 11/1/09

Stat Line: 41 PTS, 8 REB, 3 AST, 5 STL, 15-29 FG, 1-2 3PT

Game Score: 118-110, W

Complex's Rating: 5 out of 10 Mambas

Coming off of a home loss to the Mavericks, it can be said that the Lakers didn’t have their head in this game early on. In fact, with the absence of Pau Gasol, the Lakers hadn't really come into their own yet for the season.

That is until midway through the third quarter of this game when Kobe scored a dunk and set things in motion. From that point the Lakers and Kobe were back in full throttle, with Kobe scoring 14 points in the third quarter alone. The Lakers would maintain a steady lead to bring them to a victory and eventually to the NBA Finals, where they dominated their long-time rivals, the Boston Celtics.

Date: 12/29/06

Stat Line: 58 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 0 STL, 22-45 FG, 4-11 3PT

Game Score: 124-133, L

Complex's Rating: 9 out of 10 Mambas

Back when the Charlotte Hornets were known as the Charlotte Bobcats, Kobe scored what was then the third-highest point total of his career. Though he did lose the game after committing a foul on Derek Anderson in the last two minutes of the third overtime, the loss was not on Bryant, as he scored a total of 58 points for the Lakers.

What it really boiled down to was a tired Kobe carrying the team on his back, as no other player scored above 14 points for the whole game.

And even though Kobe did already have a 40-point game against the team in 2001, which resulted in a win, this game can be considered his all-time greatest against the franchise because he led the team in the three overtimes. For a one-man machine, that’s something.

Date: 12/4/09

Stat Line: 33 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 12-25 FG, 2-3 3PT

Game Score: 108-107, W

Complex's Rating: 8 out of 10 Mambas

Though Kobe has posted a 42-point game against the Heat back in 2004, Kobe’s greatest game played against this franchise is actually a December 4th game, where not only did he put up the most points for his team (as per usual), but he also brought the team an insane victory in the last three seconds of regulation.

Not convinced? In the last three seconds of the game with the Lakers trailing behind the Heat by one point, Kobe committed a foul against Dwayne Wade, who was able to secure his team a two-point lead by making one of the free throws. Now, with the Lakers down by two, without even having any time to think, Kobe set up and made a shot from 27 feet at the buzzer—securing his team's eighth consecutive win.

Basically, Kobe can create miracles.

Date: 6/4/09

Stat Line: 40 PTS, 8 REB, 2 STL, 16-34 FG, 0-1 3PT

Game Score: 100-75, W

Complex's Rating: 7.5 out of 10 Mambas

In two instances before this fateful playoff game Kobe scored 41 points against the Magic. And though both of those games resulted in a loss for the Lakers, the Orlando Magic knew what they were getting themselves into when going up against the Mamba. And even if they didn’t, after last year's loss to the Celtics in the Finals, they should've known Kobe was out for blood during Game One.

Scoring 18 points in the first half of the game, Kobe was on fire. With his eyes set on his first title without Shaq—there was definitely an extra spark to Jellybean, Jr. that night.

Date: 3/28/03

Stat Line: 55 PTS, 5 REB, 3 STL, 15-29 FG, 9-13 3PT

Game Score: 108-94, W

Complex's Rating: 10 out of 10 Mambas

In one of the most iconic games of his career, there are very few moments that could top Kobe’s performance against the Wizards during this 2003 game. Scoring a total of 42 points in the first half of the game, alone, would have cemented this game as memorable. In fact he even broke Baylor’s 1960 record of 37 points.

With Kobe’s performance being one point shy of his all-time best, and the highest individual points made this season - it was a remarkable game in Staples Center. Not to mention, it was the last game that Kobe and the Lakers would play against Michael Jordan who received several standing ovations that night as well.

In a way, this game was definitely a passing-the-torch kind of moment. 10 out of 10 Mambas, for you Kobe!

Date: 12/20/05

Stat Line: 62 PTS, 8 REB, 0 AST, 3 STL 18-31 FG, 4-10 3PT

Game Score: 112-90, W

Complex's Rating: 10 out of 10 Mambas

Being the living basketball deity that he is, Kobe didn’t even need all four quarters to demonstrate his greatness due in large part to a 95-61 Lakers lead after three quarters. The Mavericks were fortunate because who knows how many points Bryant would have hung on them if he played the final 12 minutes of the game?

Right off the bat, it seemed like it was going to be a long night for Dallas as Kobe had 32 points in the first half.

In spite of Bryant’s strong first half, things didn’t really pick up for Bryant until the third quarter when put it on himself to effectively end the game. He scored 30 in the quarter, and by at the end of three, he outscored the Mavericks 62-61.

The performance marked his first 60 point game, but it was also a glimpse of the one-man army Kobe would turn into.

Date: 12/21/05

Stat Line: 45 PTS, 3 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 20-26 FG, 1-1 3PT

Game Score: 99-94, W

Complex's Rating: 6 out of 10 Mambas

Although Kobe has scored 45 or more points against the Rockets on six separate occasions, his 45 against Houston was his best because of how efficiently he got to that mark. Bryant shot an unreal 76 percent from the field, despite taking shots some of the most illogical shots. But then again, Kobe’s game isn’t really that logical.

Date: 3/22/07

Stat Line: 60 PTS, 5 REBS, 4 AST, 0 STL, 20-37 FG, 3-6 3PT

Game Score: 121-119, W

Complex's Rating: 8.5 out of 10 Mambas

At this point during the 2006-07 season, 40 and 50 point games were becoming the norm for Kobe. Hell, 60 points didn’t seem that much for him as he torched the Grizzlies for that many, his second 60-point game in a week. It’s not like Kobe was just chucking up a ton of shots; he knocked down 54 percent of his attempts and half of his 3-pointers, proving he was untouchable.

Granted, it was against the worst team in the Western Conference that season, but Kobe was still doing things like this which would be remarkable against any opponent.

Date: 3/23/07

Stat Line: 50 PTS, 7 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL 16-29 FG, 2-5 3PT

Game Score: 111-105, W

Complex's Rating: 6 out of 10 Mambas

By the time the Lakers rolled into New Orleans for a matchup against Chris Paul and the Hornets, Kobe netting 50 a game was as common as a No. 1 Jay Z album.

The 50 points Kobe hung on the Hornets that night would mark the fourth straight game he scored at least 50, and the sixth (out of 10) that season.

All of that is even more impressive considering that the guy passing Kobe the ball, Smush Parker, was someone who Kobe didn’t even want talking to him.

Date: 5/29/08

Stat Line: 39 PTS, 3 REBS, 3 AST, 2 STL 16-30 FG, 2-6 3PT

Game Score: 100-92, W

Complex's Rating: 7 out of 10 Mambas

Yes, Bryant has had better scoring nights against the Spurs, but considering that it was a closeout game in the Western Conference Finals against the defending NBA champions, 39 points was remarkable.

The performance was even more impressive considering the Lakers were down 17 early on. In vintage Kobe fashion, he waited until the fourth quarter to break the hearts of Spurs fans, pouring in 17.

Maybe more importantly, Bryant’s killer instinct not only ended the series but also ushered in a new Western Conference alpha dog, as the win marked the first of three straight NBA Finals appearances for the Lakers and ended a run of three championships in five years for the Spurs who would not appear in the Finals again until 2012.

Date: 5/23/09

Stat Line: 41 points, 5 AST, 6 REBS, 2 STL, 12-24 FG, 2-5 3PT

Game Score: 103-97, W

Complex's Rating: 7 out of 10 Mambas

As a team that has allowed Bryant to hang at least 40 on nine different occasions, the Nuggets surely could not have been thrilled about playing Bryant and the Lakers in the 2009 Western Conference Finals. However, the teams split the first two games in Los Angeles, which led to a crucial Game 3 in Denver.

Though common sense would suggest that Denver had the edge, returning home after snatching a three-point win in Game 2, Bryant had other plans, as he would produce the finest work against the Nuggets.

Despite Denver throwing the kitchen sink at Bryant—everyone from Dahntay Jones to Kenyon Martin tried to guard him—he scored in every which way including turnaround jumpers, alley oops, and the free throw line en route to a 103-97 victory.

Date: 3/18/07

Stat Line: 50 PTS, 3 AST, 6 REBS, 3 STL 17-35 FG, 4-9 3PT

Game Score: 109-102, W

Complex's Rating: 7 out of 10 Mambas

This game might be the personification of the Shaquille O’Neal and Pau Gasol-less Lakers era, because it was a virtuoso performance by Bryant paired with a crappy performance by his supporting cast against a mediocre team.

The Timberwolves, who finished 13th in the Western Conference in 2007, were led by Kevin Garnett and Ricky Davis(!), somehow managed to make it interesting in the fourth quarter, despite being down 19 points at the end of three. In spite of the Lakers’ ineptitude, Kobe continued to score without any regard for shot selection, pouring in 12 points in the fourth to give him an even 50 for the game.

Yes, this matchup meant nothing—unless you’re really into Davis-Bryant scoring contests—but 50 points on 48 percent shooting is nothing to scoff at.

Date: 1/7/03

Stat Line: 45 PTS, 3 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL 16-28 FG, 12-18 3PT

Game Score: 119-98, W

Complex's Rating: 7.5 out of 10 Mambas

On Jan. 3, 2003, the Lakers, despite being the two-time defending champions, had little to celebrate, as they limped into a game against the Supersonics with a 14-20 record.

Nevertheless, they still had Shaq and Kobe, which meant something special could happen on any given night. And that’s exactly what happened when Bryant set the record for most 3-pointers made in a game (which has since been tied) when he lit up the lowly Sonics for 12 treys and 45 points.

It wasn’t even like Kobe was just spotting up and hitting open jumpers, either. He was hitting contested 3-pointers. And truth be told, most of his threes probably were heat checks. But they were well-deserved heat checks.

And maybe when it was all said and done, Kobe’s record-breaking barrage might have propelled the Lakers for the rest of the season as they went 36-12 from that point and on their way to a third straight title.

Date: 3/16/07

Stat Line: 65 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL 23-39 FG, 8-12 3PT

Game Score: 116-111, W

Complex's Rating: 9.5 out of 10 Mambas

Kobe’s 65 was not only the second-highest point total of his career, but it also signaled one of the most dominant stretches in NBA history.

His performance against Portland is a testament and ode to volume scoring, as Bryant attempted 39 of the Lakers’ 84 shots that night. Number of shots notwithstanding, Kobe was unbelievably efficient, going 23-of-39, including 8-of-12 from beyond the arc.

And with the Lakers on their heels in late in the fourth and overtime, Kobe’s ability to take and make contested 3-pointers was crucial.

The 65-point performance proved to be more than a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable season, as it kicked off a streak in which Bryant scored 50 or more points in four straight games, as well as a two-week stretch that saw him score 40 or more points six times.

Date: 11/30/06

Stat Line: 52 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL 19-26 FG, 2-3 3PT

Game Score: 132-102, W

Complex's Rating: 8 out of 10 Mambas

It’s easy to dismiss good individual performance that took a 30-point drubbing, but what Kobe did against the Jazz is remarkable nonetheless.

Not only did he lead a team that featured Parker and Kwame Brown to a victory against a team that would finish as a top-four seed in the Western Conference, but he did that by dropping half a hundred on 73 percent shooting.

To put that into perspective, the league average in free throw percentage was roughly two percent higher than that at 75.2 percent. Oh, and did we mention that he did that in three quarters?

Yes, it was a pretty pointless game after halftime, but to be able to score that much, that efficiently, is a testament to Kobe’s scoring acumen and his ability to get in rhythm, regardless of shot selection.

Date: 12/6/00

Stat Line: 43 PTS, 9 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL 15-33 FG, 4-11 3PT

Game Score: 115-113, W

Complex's Rating: 6.5 out of 10 Mambas

It’s true that Kobe has had six other games where he has pour in more against the Warriors. But the majority of those games were against porous defenses that bowed down to more talented Laker teams. That's why his 43-point, nine rebound showcase stands head and shoulders above his other performances against the Warriors.

Not only did the Warriors feature stars like Baron Davis and Jason Richardson, but they eventually went on to upset the No. 1 seed Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs, making Kobe’s stats that much more impressive.

Although some might consider the 43 a disappointment since it snapped a four-game streak in which he scored 50 or more.

Date: 1/7/06

Stat Line: 50 PTS, 8 REB, 8 AST, 1 STL 17-41 FG, 7-15 3PT

Game Score: 112-109, W

Complex's Rating: 8 out of 10 Mambas

Not taking into account the last half-decade or so, the Clippers have been nothing more than a minor nuisance to Kobe and the Lakers. However, not too long after Shaq was sent off to Miami, the Clippers were the best team in Los Angeles, making Kobe’s 50 that much sweeter.

It was clear that Bryant was hell-bent on reasserting himself—and the Lakers—as the alpha dogs in L.A., evidenced by his 41 shot attempts. Maybe more impressively, Bryant was able to snag eight rebounds and eight assists in a Lakers victory.

Date: 3/1/09

Stat Line: 45 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL 15-26 FG, 2-3 3PT

Game Score: 95-89, W

Complex's Rating: 8 out of 10 Mambas

With the Lakers down 2-0 in their first round series against the Suns, and Kobe fresh off of a mediocre 15-point Game 2, they needed something special in a decisive third game back in Los Angeles.

But in the opening minutes of the game, it looked like the Suns were going to cruise to a 3-0 series advantage, as they jumped out to an 11-0 lead before Bryant scored his first points of the game. The Suns’ lead would eventually swell to 17 points, but Kobe would score 30 through the first three quarters, and the Lakers would take a 3-point lead into the final frame.

In the fourth, it was vintage Kobe as he contorted his body and made fadeaways on his way to 15 points and a win.

The Lakers went on to drop the next two games and lose the series, but Game 3 showed that no matter how good an opponent is, or how many points the Lakers are down by, Kobe can and will beat you by himself.

Date: 5/13/01

Stat Line: 48 PTS, 16 REB, 8 AST, 2 STL 15-29 FG, 1-1 3PT

Game Score: 119-113, W

Complex's Rating: 8.5 out of 10 Mambas

Remember when Lakers-Kings was a rivalry? Anyone under the age of 16 might think that’s crazy, but it was and it was intense.

The teams met in the Western Conference semifinals as the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds and with the Lakers racing out to 3-0 lead, a sweep seemed inevitable. But Game 4 was a back and forth affair, as Shaq struggled with foul trouble, eventually fouling out in the fourth. Nevertheless, Kobe stepped up, not only outscoring Shaq with 48 points, but also out-rebounding the big man to the tune of a career-high 16, crushing the Kings’ dreams in the process.