This is why we go to bat for Kobe Because we were all there and saw how this dude was just on a different level than everyone. 3 years in the finals coming out the west with his Second option never averaging even 20 that entire run & still gets 2 chips.
Jayson Tatum statistically had the greatest Game 7 performance in NBA history, according to Basketball Reference’s Game Score
1. Jayson Tatum vs PHI on 5-14-2023:
51 PTS - 13 REB - 5 AST - 74.6% TS
2. Charles Barkley vs SEA on 6-5-1993:
44 PTS - 24 REB - 74.1% TS
3. Kevin Johnson vs HOU on 5-20-1995:
46 PTS - 10 AST - 64.5% TS
4. LeBron James vs IND on 4-29-2018:
45 PTS - 8 REB - 7 AST - 71.2% TS
5. Stephen Curry vs SAC on 4-30-2023:
50 PTS - 8 REB - 6 AST - 62.2% TS
6. Tim Duncan vs DAL on 5-22-2006:
41 PTS - 15 REB - 6 AST - 60.1% TS
7. John Stockton vs LAL on 5-21-1988:
29 PTS - 20 AST - 78.3% TS
8. Draymond Green vs CLE on 6-19-2016:
32 PTS - 15 REB - 9 AST - 95.5% TS
9. Dominique Wilkins vs BOS on 5-22-1988:
47 PTS - 5 REB - 63.6% TS
10. Larry Bird vs NYK on 5-13-1984:
39 PTS - 12 REB - 10 AST - 66.6% TS
LeBron has faced just 6 ALL NBA 1ST TEAM PLAYERS IN 19 Playoff runs.
Kobe faced 14 ALL NBA 1ST TEAM PLAYERS in 12 Playoff runs
That Western conference is DIFFERENT. The best players play in the WEST.
This isn't a personal knock on Brown at all (if anything, it's just as much on Mazzulla) but the Celtics have won a whopping one series in the Jays era where Brown had a higher usage rate than Tatum. One.. Brown has had the highest usage on the team in every series loss since '23
"That 83 is not equivalent to [Kobe Bryant’s] 81… I was on the court, I seen the 81. That 81 was a legit 81. Nobody was fouling. None of the shenanigans."
Charlie Villanueva on Bam Adebayo's 83 point performance 👀
(via @RunItBackFDTV)