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Former NBA Player Reveals How Kobe Bryant Celebrated His 81 Point Performance for Lakers

Published 08/19/2020, 7:00 AM EDT

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Celebrating a great win is a part of a game. But when you see one of the greatest NBA players celebrating, you don’t imagine them with a snazzy drink in their hand. Kobe Bryant is not your usual legend. Not only was he unique on the court but also a class apart from everyone around.

There is not a single person in the NBA franchise, who doesn’t have their own personal memories and moments with the late Kobe Bryant. The LA Lakers legend passed away in a terrible helicopter crash earlier this year but has left people remembering him every single day.

Kobe Bryant and his greatest scoring performance

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When the 2020 NBA playoffs kickstarted, the Denver Nuggets were set to face Utah Jazz in their first round. Even though the Denver Nuggets won the first round, Mitchell dropped 57 points on Murray. A short video of their run-in outside the court went viral. This reminded Jalen Rose of his run-in years ago with Kobe Bryant.

Approximately 14 years ago, Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors during the regular season. The 18-time All-Stars eye-popping performance remains embedded in NBA History as the second greatest performance ever after Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game for Philadelphia Warriors.

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During the Boston Celtics match against the Philadelphia 76ers, Jalen Rose narrated his run-in story with Kobe post the humiliating loss. “I saw Kobe after he dropped 81 at a restaurant, and he ordered a martini with 81 olives … “said Jalen. He is asked whether Kobe sent across the martini to him or not, to which he responds, “No, he didn’t”. 

Also respectfully praying for Kobe, Jalen says,” Rest in Peace Legend”. 

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Jalen Rose recreated the moment

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What a blessing would it be to see Kobe drop 81 points and then celebrate his victory that way. Some would consider this as Classic Kobe. This hilarious moment was also addressed in the pilot of Jalen’s series called Jalen vs Everybody.

It is obvious that nobody needs 81 olives, but who would pass up the chance to flaunt their 81-point performance when the opportunity presents itself. In his 20-year career, Kobe has also won the NBA championship 5 times. For any soul that mentions basketball, Kobe Bryant is the first name that comes out and always will.

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Written by:

Yashima Bhatia

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Yashima Bhatia is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports who specialises in providing nuanced predictions and updates for matches. She has a Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication. Yashima's love for playing the game came up at a young age, when the excitement of the games coupled with the intensity of the Playoffs had her hooked.
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