In all time career 50 point games, the top 15 are as follows...

1. Wilt 118
2. MJ 37
3. Kobe 18
4. Baylor 14
5. R. Barry 13
6. Iverson 10
7. Kareem 8
8. D. Wilkins 7
9. B. King 7
10. P. Maravich 6
11. A. Dantley 6
12. K. Malone 4
13. L. Bird 4
14. T. McGrady 4
15. G. Gervin 4

Its important to note on Wilt that a huge reason for the overwhelming dominance of Wilt statistically is the fact that in Wilt's prime seasons he shot the ball far more then anyone in NBA history ever shot the ball. During Wilts 3rd NBA season, the year he averaged 50 ppg, he AVERAGED 40 shot attempts per night, which is pure insanity. He also shot just 50.6%, which for a Center, is good but not dominant. This year Kobe is averaging a shade under 31 pts per game on just 21 shots, by comparison. If Kobe was taking 40 shots a game, basically DOUBLE what he currently shoots, hed average 50 for a season too. So its really not fair to compare anyone to Wilt given that in his prime seasons he took far more shots then anyone in NBA history ever has. Given his era, at 7'1" 240 lbs he possessed a size advantage during his prime years that completely dwarfed the centers of that time. And his team rode it consistently. The average size NBA Center the season Wilt scored 50ppg was 6'8" 220 lbs, which is basicallyh a Small Forward today. Playing today there is no way Wilt puts up the numbers he did in his era.

The game that Wilt scored 100 points he took 63 shots. Shot 58% from the floor in that game. By comparison, In Kobes 81 pt game he took just 46 attempts and shot a higher % (a shade over 61%). Im not comparing Kobe and Wilt. Im just explaining away the biggest reason why Wilts statistical dominance will never be matched. We may never see a player AVERAGE 40 shots a game in a season ever again. Heck, during Kobes 4 game 50-point streak he hasnt even had a single game where he took 40 shots, let alone take 40 on a nightly basis.

When you take all that into account, Kobe's ranking on this is absolutely amazing given the guy is just 28 years old. And no, total 50-point games are not the end all be all, but it speaks volumes for exactly how special what he's been able to do offensively is

[Edited by - knickssince88 on 03-25-2007 05:28 AM]

i watched the first quarter of the game last night...and it was disgusting.

the guy was a straight up jock, and totally freezing out his teammates. there was one play, a breakaway 3 on 1 - he has the ball. he sticks his tongue out like jordan and goes right at the defender and jumps into him while taking the shot. he missed the shot, meanwhile lamar odom is on the left running the break and another guy was behind so he could dump it off...and they're left just watching this joker take his own shot. absolutely terrible.

I'm shocked that Bernard King only had 7 50 point games.

As for the people who think Kobe's recent behavior on the court is deplorable-- what about the fact that his team has won all those games? Does that justify Kobe's recent play in your opinion? Please explain.

it's very possible jackson thinks the only way this team can win is with kobe going nuts. but him getting the greenlight and him not passing on a 3 on 1 break are two completely different things.

Posted by tomverve:

dj, surely your disgust with Kobe's recent play has been formed by more than just that one play?

As for Jackson, I'm not asking about what he might be thinking. In your personal view, does the winning trump all or not? If not, what are the criteria by which we can say that so and so guy did what he should have even if his team lost, or didn't do what he should have even if his team won?

kobe's the best player in the nba. but the disgust of his recent play is more a byproduct of the de-evolution of the game where there is no more "team" as opposed to a collection of individual stars. in this case, kobe and the rest of the crew. wins/losses are the only tangible results of progress. so if the lakers win, then all the power to them.

I don't care how much apologizing you do for him

Why should anyone have to apologize for winning?

Posted by djsunyc:

kobe's the best player in the nba. but the disgust of his recent play is more a byproduct of the de-evolution of the game where there is no more "team" as opposed to a collection of individual stars. in this case, kobe and the rest of the crew. wins/losses are the only tangible results of progress. so if the lakers win, then all the power to them.

Weren't the Lakers operating under more of a team concept earlier in the season? Weren't they struggling playing that way recently (in terms of wins/losses) until Kobe started taking more shots? If the answer to both is yes-- are you suggesting the Lakers should be playing differently, wins and losses be damned?

[Edited by - tomverve on 03-26-2007 1:33 PM]

Posted by tomverve:

Posted by djsunyc:

kobe's the best player in the nba. but the disgust of his recent play is more a byproduct of the de-evolution of the game where there is no more "team" as opposed to a collection of individual stars. in this case, kobe and the rest of the crew. wins/losses are the only tangible results of progress. so if the lakers win, then all the power to them.

Weren't the Lakers operating under more of a team concept earlier in the season? Weren't they struggling playing that way recently (in terms of wins/losses) until Kobe started taking more shots? If the answer to both is yes-- are you suggesting the Lakers should be playing differently, wins and losses be damned?

[Edited by - tomverve on 03-26-2007 1:33 PM]

He was missing Odom and Walton and playing passive agressive. Just be a balanced player that's all any reasonable fan can ask. If there was ever a time to shoot it was then not when your team is almost back to full strength heading into the playoffs. They are headed down the same road again. When it comes time to step up in the playoffs and they have no team rythm, he'll be indirectly blaming his team again crying about he doesn't have the help. The game was not meant to be played the way he plays it and it's sad people can't grasp this.

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 03-26-2007 12:50 PM]

Posted by TrueBlue:

The game was not meant to be played the way he plays it and it's sad people can't graps this.

Who decides how the game is meant to be played? TrueBlue?

Posted by TrueBlue:

keep jock riding though

Why don't you point out a single quote I've made in this thread that is pro-Kobe. And no, questioning anti-Kobe remarks is not the same thing as being pro-Kobe.

You can keep seeing things in terms of jock-riders and non-jock-riders if you want, but that's not the way this message board was meant to be.

I think Kobe is playing phenomenally. In fact, if I was a Laker fan and winning was held equal, I would prefer them winning with 50pt games from Kobe.