"I really wasn't thinking about the scoring" — Kobe Bryant on his mindset during his 81-point game

Kobe Bryant ’s 81-point outburst against the Toronto Raptors in 2006 was an extraordinary showcase of offensive skill. Kobe had already surprised fans with his 50 and 60-point explosions, but that game was something else.

It was obvious that the Black Mamba was in a zone. Interestingly, he also admitted that scoring wasn’t necessarily his primary objective that night. He just wanted to guide his team to a sweet victory, and he did it in fashion.

In a zone

“I didn't really pay attention to anything that was said,” Kobe said , per ESPN. “I was just in my own head and in my own zone. I wasn't high-fiving anybody. I wasn't talking to anybody. I just felt like I was in a different dimension. Nothing else mattered. Everything was irrelevant. I really wasn't thinking about the scoring. I was trying to get us back in the game.”

This is an interesting admission from the 18-time All-Star. Given his knack for scoring the ball, swishing the net was all that mattered for him that game. Though he was in a zone by himself, the team aspect of the sport was still in his mind. It just happened that the Black Mamba turned into a scoring demigod in that game, once again, carrying his team on his back to the win.

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The turning point

The Los Angeles Lakers struggled most of the game and were down by as much as 18 points. With time not to their advantage, Bryant got to his spots and put on an offensive display. In the third quarter, the Lakers guard exploded for 27 points.

Kobe believes that fastbreak dunk at the 1:12 mark of the quarter forged the Lakers’ fate. It was at that moment that the Philadelphia native believed winning was within arm’s reach.

“I remember at the end of the third quarter, I had a steal, and I had to hustle to keep the ball in bounds, and then I had a dunk, and I said, ‘We're in this game, and we're going to win this game.’ That was the real turning point. Those are the plays that really change momentum -- hustle plays. That's when I knew we're going to win this damn game," No. 24 added.

Bryant’s scoring tear continued to the fourth quarter, where he dropped 27 points — putting his game tally at 81 markers. The audience showed their appreciation by clapping and screaming Kobe’s name. The Mamba was aware of his remarkable individual feat — that he had etched his name as one of the scoring greats. But he was more pleased that his team won — which is all that matters in basketball.

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