Kobe Bryant Usually Saved His Best For the Knicks

Overtime Heroics Editorial

2052 days ago

Madison Square Garden demands the best out of all the stars that put on a show in this famous arena. Nobody, and I mean nobody, put on a show in the Garden like Kobe Bryant. Kobe owned Madison Square Garden and the Knicks. I sometimes think that Kobe staked a greater claim to the Knicks than James Dolan. On the world’s biggest stage, nobody shined brighter than Kobe Bryant.

Kobe Bryant was always a bigger star in New York than anyone the Knicks ever had. — No matter what star the Knicks had, Kobe always shined brighter in MSG.

Kobe Bryant’s Long Career Against the Knicks

On November 5, 1996 Kobe Bryant played his first game at
Madison Square Garden. During this game, Kobe only played three minutes, but he
did manage to score his first NBA point. At that point, I don’t think anyone,
even Kobe, knew what would happen over the next 20+ years.

Kobe started making a habit of dismantling the Knicks,
especially at Madison Square Garden. In 34 career games against the New York
Knicks Kobe averaged 26.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. That includes
his first two career games against the Knicks in which he scored a combined one
point.

In 16 games at Madison Square Garden, Kobe stepped it up a
little bit averaging 29.9 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game, and 3.9
assists per game. In those 16 games though, there was one shining moment where
Kobe stood out above the rest of the league.

The ‘Kobe’ Game

On February 2^nd 2009, Kobe Bryant scored 61 points to set the record for most points scored in a single game at Madison Square Garden. Kobe put up one of the biggest games of his life on the biggest stage in the world, and everybody knew about it.

Kobe Bryant always performed when he was under the bright lights of New York City. — Kobe Bryant set the single game scoring record at Madison Square Garden with 61 points in 2009.

Knicks fans started “M-V-P” chants for the legend. There are
only a few people who can generate those chants on the road, especially in New
York.

I will never forget this night. I never knew that I could
watch someone light up the Knicks and actually enjoy it. He scorched the Knicks
and I had a blast watching it.

New York buzzed when Kobe came to town. He was must-see basketball
in a city that had longed for someone like Kobe to join their franchise. Not
only did Kobe deliver, but he thrived on it. He lived on the pressure of having
to perform. He accepted every challenge thrown his way, and if you know
anything about the New York media, you know that coming into New York as a star
is an enormous challenge. If you don’t live up to the hype the media creates,
they will crush you for it. Kobe never had that issue.

As he rose to star status in the league, the performances
just got better and better. It all culminated with that 61 point performance in
2009. At that point everyone knew, Kobe owned Madison Square Garden and the
Knicks.

Kobe Bryant Says Goodbye to the Garden

On November 8, 2015 Kobe Bryant played his final game in
Madison Square Garden. Coming off a torn achilles, it was obviously not the
same Kobe, but he still did everything he could to put on a show. He finished
the night with 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists. Afterwards he was quoted
saying, “To be able to come here and have the performances I’ve had in this building,
I feel extremely, extremely fortunate.”

No Kobe, we the fans were extremely, extremely fortunate to
be able to watch you perform. Thank you for what you did for the game of
basketball.

R.I.P Kobe Bryant

R.I.P. Mamba

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