Feschuk: NBA Jumps On Kobe's 81 Bandwagon
Dave Feschuk of the TORONTO STAR writes, "The NBA, of course, is hoping Bryant's big night — a scoring feat second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point legend in 1962 — will remake the player's battered image."
Bryant's Act Isn't Leading to a Title
Tom Knottof the WASHINGTON TIMES writes, Bryant said he never dreamed of scoring 81 points in a game. Huh? He orchestrated the occasion
Wertz Jr.: Kobe's 81 Better Than Wilt's 100
Langston Wertz Jr. of THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER writes, "When Wilt Chamberlain scored 100, he did most of the work inside against smaller guys. Kobe was shooting jump shots. If the NBA picked its top 50 greatest players again today, Bryant would be one of them." Kobe? Fantastic. But MVP? Well...
In THE MIAMI HERALD, Greg Cote writes, "Don't get me wrong. Remarkable night. Fantastic player, one of the all-time greats. Not sure, though, if Kobe is the slam-dunk MVP some now think he is -- or that an 81-point night jacking his season average to 35.9 should automatically anoint him as such."
In THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS, columnist Steve Dilbeck writes, "It was lost on Sunday, the way everything else was dwarfed by Kobe Bryant's incredible 81-point night against Toronto. Yet something else should have been signaled to NBA followers Sunday besides confirmation of Kobe's greatness. It's not as historic, but ultimately may prove to have greater significance in the Lakers' attempt to regain elite status: Kobe and Phil Jackson have made peace."