“He's the best player in the league by far” - When Shaq gave Kobe Bryant a rare compliment after he dropped 45 points on the Spurs in 2001 WCF

When given the chance, Kobe Bryant could score at will if the Los Angeles Lakers needed him to. The Black Mamba had his share of high-scoring games throughout his HOF career, one of which happened in 2001 during the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

Kobe scored 45 points in that matchup to lead the Lakers to a 104-90 victory. It was the Lakers' 16th consecutive win at the time. More importantly, it gave the Lakers a 1-0 series lead in the WCF.

Shaquille O'Neal provided help, scoring 28 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. After the win, "The Diesel" gave Bryant a rare compliment for his performance. The 7-foot-1 player believed Kobe would be tough to guard, especially if he got into his scoring groove.

"Kobe's been playing phenomenal," O'Neal said via UPI . "He's the best player in the league by far, especially when he's playing like that."

Kobe leaves Spurs baffled

Considering the 13th overall pick had to contend with San Antonio's twin-tower combo of Tim Duncan and David Robinson, the feat was remarkable. However, Kobe admitted that he read the Spurs' defense well and did not allow the two towering players to intimidate him.

"Their whole defensive scheme involves funneling guys into the middle and trying to bottle things up in there. I'll go right at them," the 6-foot-6 guard stated.

Despite his scoring splurge, Kobe didn't hog all the credit. He pointed out how the team prepared for the Spurs and how taking the momentum from the 1999 NBA champions was important.

"We're just taking care of business," Bryant said.

That Game 1 win set the tone for the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers would sweep San Antonio to advance to the NBA Finals. At that point, they had not lost a game in the playoffs. Their postseason win streak ended after dropping Game One of the 2001 NBA Finals to the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime, 107-101.

However, that would be the only game the Lakers lost in the 2001 postseason. LA would bounce back and string up four straight wins to win the 2001 title, making it back-to-back championship campaigns.

Kobe was going through family issues during his historic playoff run

After winning his second consecutive NBA ring, most would expect Kobe to be happy and celebrating. Instead, it was learned that Vino had been dealing with a personal issue . His parents, Joe and Pam, were at odds with him, not approving of his marriage to Vanessa Laine (Bryant).

Kobe and Vanessa tied the knot in April 2001, but the Lakers superstar's parents did not attend. Both opposed the marriage, allegedly because they felt Kobe got married at a young age to someone who was not African-American. The rift would last for two years, ending only after the couple's first daughter, Natalia, was born in 2003.

Playing through a crucial series with much on his mind showed why Kobe was a true professional. He didn't use his issues as an excuse. As a result, he kept his focus on the game, helping the Lakers win three straight NBA titles from 2000 to 2002.

Related: Shaquille O'Neal goes over how he and Kobe Bryant made it work: "I had to sacrifice and say, 'You know what, go on, young fella, you take it'"