Watchin Kobe's historical 81 pt game. Question Kobe did u wake up and say I'm a hit 80 today, jalens guarding me. #answermyquestionkobe
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) January 22, 2013
It's funny to hear the current banter around the NBA. LeBron James is steadily monitoring the offensive outbursts of Kevin Durant, the same Kevin Durant who is currently a human flamethrower and scoring 40+ points a game with no hesitation at all. Then, we hear that Kobe Bryant is not a fan of today's NBA, calling it a "finesse game," and that he believes that the days of yesteryear were more physical and of higher quality.
I hear all that and just laugh.
What's happening in the NBA right now with Kevin Durant is similar to what's happened with LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and any of the stars we grew up watching. They are the best in the world. They have this ability to transcend everything that's going on around them, and the NBA's best lay waste to the peons that try to defend them. You know, kinda like how Kobe did the Toronto Raptors eight years ago.
Watching the game now, the easy shots I missed, I could of had 100 pts! #countonkobe
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) January 22, 2013
Kobe's 81 on some levels felt like an effortless display of offensive expression, as when you have the likes of a 58-year-old Morris Peterson and Jalen Rose guarding you, that's hardly providing resistance. However, in a weird way it also felt like the end of an era. While many bag on the current state of the NBA for reasons that seem ignorant, I can't remember a time when players were as selfless as they are now. KD and LeBron are the pillars of being superstars who share the ball, and there are few players whom you could point at and really call them a ball hog.
Individual brilliance is always a beautiful thing to watch, but watching that brilliance displayed in the natural flow of the game is even better. Kobe's 81 was awesome, but I don't really have to see it ever again.
I wonder what Phil was thinking #countonkobe
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) January 22, 2013
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Eddie Maisonet is the founder and editor emeritus of The Sports Fan Journal. Currently, he serves as an associate editor for ESPN.com. He is an unabashed Russell Westbrook and Barry Switzer apologist, owns over 100 fitteds and snapbacks, and lives by Reggie Jackson’s famous quote, “I am the straw that stirs the drink.”
