Kobe Bryant Career in 2000 - 2001

Kobe raised his performance even higher in the playoffs. With the Lakers sweeping by Portland, Sacramento and San Antonio in succession, he was scintillating. Kobe tallied 48 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in Game 4 against the Kings to close out the series. In the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs, he shot a sizzling .514 (54-105) from the field.

Facing the 76ers in the NBA Finals, the defending champs opened at home with a surprising 107-101 overtime loss. It was all Lakers after that, however, as Los Angles roared to victories in the next four. Kobe was high scorer for LA in Games 2 and 3. At just 22 years old, he had his second NBA championship

Los Angeles soon began a steady ascent through the Pacific standings. Kobe was the main man. In January he launched a scoring streak of at least 40 points in nine straight games, including 52 in an overtime victory against the Rockets. The Lakers won eight times during Kobe's sensational stretch.

The Lakers faced Minnesota in the first round and dropped two of the first three in the series. After back-to-back poor shooting performances, Kobe asserted himself over the next three games. Averaging 31 points and six assists, he led Los Angeles past the Timberwolves to set up a tough match-up against San Antonio.

The strain of the Minnesota series on the Lakers was evident early against the Spurs. When San Antonio took the first two games on their home floor, the pundits were ready to write the defending champs' obituary. But Kobe and his teammates came back to life at the Staples Center. He hit for 39 and 35, and the Lakers knotted the series.

In San Antonio for Game 5, Los Angeles fell behind by 20 points, then launched a furious rally in the fourth quarter. But when a late three-pointer by Horry didn't go down, the Lakers lost a 96-94 heartbreaker—not to mention their legs. The tank finally ran dry in the second half of Game 6, as the Spurs cruised in a 28-point blowout. Like the rest of the team, Kobe watched the carnage in a daze.

Kobe Bryant 1999 - 2000 Career

Kobe, meanwhile, enjoyed his best season as a pro. After missing the first 15 games with a broken bone in his right hand, he blended in perfectly with his teammates and blossomed into a complete player. His shot selection was better, his rebounding and scoring increased, and he began hitting more regularly from the outside. Most notable, however, was his sterling defense. In a February victory over the 76ers, Kobe shut down Allen Iverson, holding him to 0-of-9 shooting in the fourth quarter. It was this kind of effort that earned him a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team.

Though Indiana battled hard, Los Angeles won the series in six games, earning its first title since 1988. Kobe went down in a heap early in Game 2 after rolling an ankle. He sat out the next contest, which the Lakers lost.

Kobe returned in Game 4, limping through the entire first half. With the Lakers trailing in the third quarter, he got a burst of adrenaline and exploded for 10 points. He then finished off the Pacers after Shaq fouled out late in the fourth quarter. Jackson told his troops to abandon the triangle and get the ball to Kobe. He responded with a virtuoso performance to give the Lakers an insurmountable 3-1 series lead.

Tired and battered after the longest season of his young life, Kobe took it easy during the summer of 2000. After declining a last-minute offer to join Team USA at the Olympics in Sydney, he regained his health and felt refreshed by the start of the following campaign

Kobe was key to the club’s resurgence. Playing 40 minutes a night, he averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 68 games. Among the single-game career-highs he established during the season were points (52), steals (six), and blocked shots (five). Kobe also posted the first two triple-doubles of his career.