By Craig Kwasniewski
Kobe Bryant's 61-point outburst at MSG surpasses Michael Jordan's infamous double nickel from 1995. Not to take anything away from Kobe's feat but Jordan's 55 will always have a place in my heart and was more impressive. Don't get me wrong, the Lakers literally just found out that their best shot at beating the Celtics and Cavs for an NBA title is gone for the season (8-12 week recovery for a torn knee on a 7-foot frame is VERY optimistic... he's done for the year) so Kobe needed to make a statement: it's still my team and the Lakers are still the favorites in 08-09! And no better place to make a statement but in basketball mecca, Madison Square Garden. So a big tip of the hat for a very impressive and very needed 61 (in ONLY 37 minutes!!!) from the reigning MVP.
However, the '95 Knicks were waaaaaayyyy better defensively, the '95 Bulls weren't as good as the '09 Lakers and needed every point out of MJ that night, double-nickel is one of the greatest nicknames ever, the game-winning hoop was by Bill Wennington off a pass from MJ... oh and by the by it was Jordan's fifth game back from a 18-month retirement... simply ridiculous!!! Anyway, here's a good review from Jordan's 55 back in March, 1995:
Just for the record, it was not MJ's third game back from retirement. It was his fifth.
Posted by: Trev | February 03, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Last year's Lakers squad would not have made it to the playoffs, let alone the conference finals without Kobe Bryant. Since your history on the Bulls is so impeccable, how far did the Jordan-less Bulls go the season before his double nickel? Oh, and for the record, how many top 50 players of all time is Kobe currently playing with? Jordan lovers sure enjoy hating or actively forgetting Pippen...sheesh. And John Starks? Are you freaking kidding me? Kobe would have made baby-faced Starks a footnote in a historic game as well. Starks sucked. And Double Nickel is clever, but 61...that's just got so much history to it (think baseball).
Posted by: Jordan Ikeda | February 03, 2009 at 02:52 PM
double nickel was better. i can score 61 on d'antoni's teams.
Posted by: nfn | February 03, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Craig,
Obviously Laker fans are in the dumps about Bynum's injury. But dont take Bynum's delayed comeback from his first knee injury as a basis to say he will not be back this year. You are obviously not a doctor or a knee specialist for that matter (if you are why are you sitting in section 316???)Therefore you dont have any expertise to say that this type of knee injury takes longer than 8-12 weeks to heal for someone who is 7 feet tall. These are two entirely different knee injuries. Have a little faith, you act like it is set in stone that Bynum is out for the season.
Posted by: LakeShow | February 03, 2009 at 09:09 PM
... and I suppose LakeShow can make it back from a torn MCL to play pro basketball in 8-12 weeks RIGHT in time for the most grueling time of the year.. the playoffs.
Posted by: Jay | February 03, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Jay,
Whats your point? I do not play basketball for a living. But if a doctor told me I had a torn MCL and that if I followed a specific rehab program everyday with the assistance of personal trainers etc etc. I would be able to return to the sport of basketball in said time frame then I would not have any reason to think otherwise. Obviously Bynum coming back right before or in the middle of the playoffs is not ideal (yes it is safe to say he would not pick up where he left off and some sort of chemistry would have to be re-established.) But that is not the same as saying he will not be back for the season. Some contribution from bynum especially against the powerhouses of the east if we were to get to the finals cant hurt. I also assume then that you would have never thought that someone with a partial tear of an MCL that required a minimum of 6 weeks would return in 4 and in the first game back put up 14 points in 20 min of play going 5-7 from the field and 2-3 from the three point line and consistently driving into the paint...but farmar did...
Posted by: LakeShow | February 04, 2009 at 07:51 PM
"...how far did the Jordan-less Bulls go the season before his double nickel?"
They won 55 games and lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Knicks on that Hubert Davis/Scottie Pippen BS. Any other questions because that one didn't work like you wanted it to.
Posted by: IFChris | February 05, 2009 at 10:21 AM
IFChris, yes it did...you're obviously not paying attention.
Posted by: Jordan Ikeda | April 04, 2009 at 06:37 PM
pterodactyl wingspan guard Diaw at the three-pt line? No! Time to go with defensive stopper middle of the playoffs is not ideal (yes it is safe to say he would not pick up where he left off and some sort of chemistry would have to be re-established.) But that is not the same as saying he will not be back for the season. Some contribution from bynum especially against the powerhouses of the east if we were to get to the finals Luke Walton, leaving
Posted by: nike air max 90 | October 11, 2010 at 03:16 AM
These are two entirely different knee injuries. Have a little faith, you act like it is set in stone that Bynum is out for the season.
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