Kobe Bryant had a dominant run against the Houston Rockets

The Lakers won 35 of 61 regular-season games against the Rockets with Bryant playing, and they also went 3-0 in three playoff series.

Over his storied 20-year career in the NBA. the late Kobe Bryant had plenty of high-profile showdowns against the Houston Rockets.

As was the case for most teams, and especially his rivals in the Western Conference, it often did not end well for Bryant’s opponent.

Bryant appeared in 61 career regular-season games against the Rockets from 1996 through 2016, with the Los Angeles Lakers going 35-26 (.574) in those contests. The future Hall of Fame guard averaged 26.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

But Bryant and the Lakers really did their damage against the Rockets in the playoffs. During his career, the Lakers were a perfect 3-0 in playoff series versus Houston — including a 3-1 win in the 1999 first round, a 4-1 win in the 2004 first round, and a 4-3 triumph in the 2009 second round.

In those three playoff series, Bryant averaged 24.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.

Combining the playoffs and regular season, Bryant scored 40+ points nine times against the Rockets, including three games of 50+ points.

Bryant’s first game versus the Rockets came at Houston’s former arena, The Summit, on Nov. 12, 1996. Then only 18 years old and fresh out of high school, Bryant scored two points in just five minutes.

Bryant’s last game against Houston came on April 10, 2016 at Toyota Center, and it was his third-to-last game in the NBA. He scored 35 points in just 27 minutes, but the Rockets got a bit of revenge with a 130-110 win. James Harden led the way for Houston with 40 points and 13 assists.

Earlier this week, Bryant passed away at 41 years old in a tragic helicopter crash. Everyone on board died, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. That’s brought a renewed focus on Bryant’s historic legacy, both on and off the basketball court.

During his 20-year career, Bryant was a five-time NBA champion; an 18-time All-Star; and an MVP, among his numerous accolades. He’s also the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history.

Expect the Rockets to honor Bryant in their own way this Friday, which is the team’s first home game since the tragedy.

Friday’s nationally televised game versus Dallas now has an early start at 6:30 p.m. local time, which will allow ESPN to air an on-court pregame ceremony from Los Angeles before the second part of the doubleheader. That will be the first Lakers’ home game since Bryant’s passing.

[lawrence-related id=23054,22984,22952]