This made me think of the game where Kobe outscored the Mavs through 3 quarters. I thought "Hmm, I haven't heard of it happening the other way."
But actually, Kobe had outscored the rest of the Lakers to that point as well, with 33 for the other Lakers at that point, 50 total other Laker points, 61 for the Mavs through 3, and 62 for Kobe.
Turns out he did it a handful of other times as well.
Here are the 3 instances where Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to victory, scoring half or more his team's points + one honorable mention:
1. December 20, 2005 vs. Dallas Mavericks
- Kobe's Points: 62
- Lakers' Points: 95
- Percentage: 65.3%
Kobe scored 62 points in just three quarters, outscoring the entire Dallas Mavericks team (62-61) through the first three quarters before sitting out the fourth.
2. January 22, 2006 vs. Toronto Raptors
- Kobe's Points: 81
- Lakers' Points: 122
- Percentage: 66.4%
The iconic 81-point performance, where Kobe carried the Lakers to a comeback win.
3. March 16, 2007 vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- Kobe's Points: 65
- Lakers' Points: 116
- Percentage: 56.0%
Kobe’s incredible 65-point game included multiple clutch shots in an overtime victory.
4. March 22, 2007 vs. Memphis Grizzlies
- Kobe's Points: 60
- Lakers' Points: 121
- Percentage: 49.6% (not more than half, but very close)
This game marked the second of four consecutive 50+ point games during one of Kobe’s hottest streaks.
The motherfucker was a free throw away from doing it
twice in a WEEK