Kobe Bryant didn’t start in 2006 with a fadeaway sweater or a spectacular dunk, but with a suspension.
The Lakers star was forced to play the first two games of the new year after bending Grizzlies security guard Mike Miller with his elbow in a loss in Los Angeles on December 30, 2005. Bryant was “shocked” by the NBA’s decision and found that opposing players had previously hit him with severe flagrant fouls but avoided punishment.
“I wish I could go back in time and take this foul back, knowing what I know now and get two games for it,” said Bryant. “But there was no way I thought it was going to be a suspension for something like that. No way.”
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Perhaps this suspension gave Bryant additional motivation because he made up for the lost time. Bryant returned to the ground on Jan. 6 and efficiently scored 48 points in a win over the 76ers – and that was just the beginning.
In 13 games in January 2006, Bryant averaged an incredible 43.4 points per game, marking the month with the highest score of his illustrious career. Only four players in NBA history have averaged over 40 points per game (at least 10 games played) for a month: Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, James Harden and Elgin Baylor.
The standout performance came on January 22nd when Bryant set the Raptors on fire with 81 points. This was the second highest individual rating of all time after just Chamberlain’s 100-point explosion. The boxing score is stunning, but it was as impressive as Bryant did.
“Everyone wants to talk about the numbers. He could have had 71. He could have had 91,” former Raptors security guard Jalen Rose told ESPN’s Jorge Sedano. “The main thing that everyone should take away from this game is this man’s discipline, this man’s focus. As a professional on another team, Jorge, you know what to do? You have to take it.
“And that’s why when people try to piss me off, we’ve kept it below 100. What do you mean? What are you talking about? He’s the remix for Michael Jordan. … This game certainly embodies his all-round greatness.”
But Kobe’s crazy run was much more than the famous 81.
Bryant drained all seven of his 3 points against Philadelphia to start the month. He dropped 50 points with the Clippers and 51 with the Kings. He went five games in a row without missing a free throw. He scored at least 30 points in 12 of the 13 games and 40 or more in seven of these competitions.
| game | Points | Helps | Rebounds | FG / FGA | 3PT FG / 3PT FGA | FT / FTA | More / Minus |
| 6th January | 48 | 2 | 10 | 19-29 | 7-7 | 3-4 | +23 |
| January 7th | 50 | 8th | 8th | 17-41 | 7-15 | 9-10 | +9 |
| January 9th | 45 | 5 | 10 | 14-32 | 2-6 | 15-21 | +7 |
| 11th January | 41 | 3 | 2 | 13-29 | 3-13 | 12-13 | -8th |
| January 12th | 27 | 2 | 2 | 9-21 | 1-5 | 8-8 | -2 |
| January 14th | 38 | 7th | 7th | 13-28 | 1-5 | 11-11 | +4 |
| January 16 | 37 | 4th | 3 | 13-24 | 2-5 | 9-9 | +14 |
| January 19th | 51 | 4th | 9 | 17-35 | 4-12 | 13-13 | -13 |
| January 20th | 37 | 2 | 2 | 12-33 | 4-12 | 9-9 | -17 |
| 22nd of January | 81 | 2 | 6th | 28-46 | 7-13 | 18-20 | +25 |
| January 27th | 30th | 8th | 5 | 7-22 | 2-4 | 14-16 | 0 |
| January 29th | 39 | 3 | 6th | 12-28 | 3-11 | 12-14 | -10 |
| 31 January | 40 | 3 | 3 | 7-17 | 3-8 | 23-26 | +18 |
| Average | 43.4 | 4.1 | 5.6 | 47.0% | 39.7% | 89.7% | +50 (total) |
The Lakers went 9-4 in January and 45:37 in the 2005/06 season, largely relying on Bryant to simply lead them to victory. The Hall of Famer averaged a career high of 35.4 points per game this season. Los Angeles’ second top scorer, Lamar Odom, was more than 20 points behind him with 14.8.
Kobe, 2005-06. My favorite season in Kobe. He averaged a ridiculous 35.4 points per game.
He scored 2,832 points, seventh in a season in NBA history.
The only players with more are Wilt Chamberlain (4x) and Michael Jordan (2x) pic.twitter.com/1liwnZhPKr
– Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) January 26, 2021
Lack of depth ultimately doomed the Lakers when they fell victim to the Suns in the first round of the 2006 NBA playoffs. Los Angeles led 3-1 after Bryant scored multiple clutch shots in a Game 4 win, but Phoenix used the last three games of the series to qualify for the Western Conference semifinals.
Anything but a championship was unacceptable to Bryant, so he probably didn’t like looking back on this campaign. Nevertheless, this route – and the whole season – showed the heights Kobe could reach.
It was the end of an era too. Bryant moved from 8th to 24th for the 2006/07 season and wore this jersey for the remainder of his NBA days.
“When I first walked in when I was 8, I really tried to plant your flag,” Bryant told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes in 2017. “I have to prove that I belong in this league here. I have to prove.” that I’m one of the best in this league. You go after them. It’s uninterrupted energy and aggressiveness and all. “
Not only did Bryant prove that he was one of the best in the league, he also proved that he was one of the best to ever touch the field. He has an elite basketball resume, but Kobe’s excellence can be declared in that one month.
Now imagine if he hadn’t been banned for two games.
