Kobe Bryant’s top 100 games: No. 90

In January 2015, Kobe Bryant had one of his final duels with LeBron James, and he put on a show in a different way than usual.

The 2014-15 season was Kobe Bryant’s second-to-last in the NBA, and after a torn Achilles and a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left knee, he had very little left in the tank.

He struggled through many nights that season, and not coincidentally, so did his Los Angeles Lakers.

On Jan. 15, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers came to town, and it must’ve perked up the Black Mamba.

While James had 36 points, Bryant countered with his superior experience and resourcefulness, scoring 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting while dishing out a career-high 17 assists.

 

Although L.A. played the Cavs tough for three quarters, James and company were too much in the end. They pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 109-102 win.

But it was one last blast of greatness from Bryant, and the Staples Center crowd enjoyed that night.

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