Dec. 21, 2000
22 years, 120 days
From the very start it was clear that this was Kobe Bryant’s night. The then-22-year-old sunk each of his first nine shots on his way to a 45-point night and 99-94 win over Houston.
Bryant poured in 18 of his points in the first quarter alone, but the Lakers were still tied with their hosts at 74 heading into the final period.
The Rockets brought their deficit down to one point with 30 seconds left, but then Bryant took over once again. He hit shots on back-to-back possessions to bury Houston.
Bryant was hitting from all across the floor, finishing 20-of-26, while the Lakers shot 54.9 percent as a team in their fourth straight win.
Shaquille O’Neal also had a stellar night with 25 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, including a dish to Bryant for his final bucket. .
Kobe performances on this day in history: