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Kobe Bryant: Top five greatest performances vs Toronto Raptors

By Aditya Chandran

TORONTO, CANADA: Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant drives to the hoop past Toronto Raptors forward Vince Carter during first half NBA action in Toronto, Canada, on 06 January, 2002. The Lakers defeated the Raptors 109 - 89. AFP PHOTO/J.P. Moczulski (Photo credit should read J.P. MOCZULSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA: Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant drives to the hoop past Toronto Raptors forward Vince Carter during first half NBA action in Toronto, Canada, on 06 January, 2002. The Lakers defeated the Raptors 109 - 89. AFP PHOTO/J.P. Moczulski (Photo credit should read J.P. MOCZULSKI/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Kobe Bryant
LOS ANGELES – DECEMBER 28: Kobe Bryant #8 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots against Lamond Murray #21 of the Toronto Raptors during the game at Staples Center on December 28, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers won 117-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. December 28th, 2004

Final Score: Lakers 117 Raptors 99

Kobe Bryant Stats: 48 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 54 FG%

The Lakers were officially in scramble mode. After winning three straight titles and then losing in the finals, the turmoil between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant had reached a boiling point. It led to O’Neal leaving the Lakers and destroying any chance of another finals appearance in the foreseeable future for the team.

Still, this didn’t bother Bryant. Not one bit. He was ready to take on the challenge and was ready to be the leader of the team. Although the team didn’t have any sort of great talent to boast about, Bryant himself was enough to keep the team competitive. Their matchup against the Toronto Raptors looked easy on paper with the Raptors being 10 games below .500 and primed for a lottery pick, but Bryant knew if he didn’t step up to the plate, the Lakers weren’t going to survive.

So he did just that. Bryant authored a scoring masterpiece. He had the most points in three of the four quarters, including a monstrous 17-point fourth quarter which helped tip the game in the Lakers’ favour. Toronto had no answer for Bryant. It rarely, if ever, did.

This performance was huge for the Lakers’ superstar as it helped silence the critics that said he was playing second fiddle to Shaq. Bryant proved he could carry a team as the number one option, something he would go on to do for the rest of his career.