It’s been over two decades since Kobe Bryant lit up the scoreboard with an unforgettable 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors. While Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game remains the ultimate benchmark, Kobe’s feat is the gold standard for modern basketball. Interestingly, if NBA legend Chris Paul had his way, that historic night might have played out differently.
Much has been said about that game. Some tales, like LeBron James’ claim of predicting Kobe’s performance, seem more myth than reality. Meanwhile, Sam Mitchell, the Raptors’ coach that night, often reflects on the game with a sense of resignation.
“I tried every defense I could think of,” Mitchell once said. “A box and 1, a triangle and 2.
Kobe would’ve scored 81 on anyone that night.” And that’s where Chris Paul’s perspective comes in.
The former Clippers star, who recently parted ways with the team, believes more could have been done to stop Kobe. Paul, known for his defensive tenacity, suggested that he would have fouled out or been ejected trying to stop such a scoring spree.
“That game Kobe had 81, couldn’t be me,” Paul said. “I’m not guarding the other guys.
We’re going to double-team him. Trap him.
Let somebody else score.”
Paul’s comments are bold, especially considering the Raptors led 63-49 at halftime. Kobe had 26 points by then, a remarkable but not unheard-of tally for him.
Then came the second half, where Kobe seemed unstoppable. Jalen Rose, Morris Peterson, Joey Graham, and José Calderón all tried to contain him, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave.
“He was pump-faking three, four times and then spinning opposite of the defense while shooting,” Mitchell recalled. “I’m trying to figure out how he even had the balance to do that.”
Kobe scored against eight different defenders that night. The Raptors, a young but talented team, simply couldn’t contain him.
This wasn’t a one-off event, either. Just weeks prior, Kobe had dropped 62 points against the Dallas Mavericks in three quarters, signaling something special was brewing.
While Paul might argue for a more aggressive defensive approach, Mitchell’s perspective was clear: “That’s not basketball.” Kobe’s 81 points stand as a testament to his extraordinary talent and the sheer will to dominate.