There are more than a few reasons why more than a few folks consider Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant as the greatest player of all time. He had a tremendous and memorable career in the NBA, and he will forever be remembered for his unparalleled skillset, unmatched competitiveness, and of course, his Mamba Mentality, among other things.
Another thing that makes Kobe Bryant a legend is how well he performed in the clutch. The perfect representation of the same would be his epic performances in the NBA Finals. Bryant went on a total of seven trips to the pinnacle of the sport, winning five times. Below we rank all seven of his Finals performances from worst to best.
7. 2000 (vs. Indiana Pacers)
Series stats: 15.6 points (on 36.7% shooting), 4.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.4 blocks
Kobe did not exactly dominate in his first-ever appearance in the grandest stage. Statistically, this was actually his worst Finals performance of all time, and the fact that he shot well below 40 percent throughout the series is a testament to this fact (he was shooting 46.8 percent during the season and 44.2 percent in the playoffs).
Then again, the fact that he injured his ankle early in Game 2 — thanks to a dirty Jalen Rose play — played a role in his rather underwhelming performance in the series. Bryant missed a big chunk of Game 2, the entirety of Game 3, but was able to bounce back with a 28-point performance in Game 4.
The Lakers won the series in six games, allowing Kobe to lift the title for the first time in his career.
6. 2004: (vs. Detroit Pistons)
Series stats: 22.6 points (on 38.1% shooting), 2.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.8 steals
This was a hard one to swallow for the Lakers in general, simply because they were the heavy favorites to win the championship this season. They added no less than Hall of Famers in their lineup that year in Gary Payton and Karl Malone, only to be upset in dramatic fashion by a no-nonsense Detroit Pistons in the Finals.
Kobe himself played his part in his team's disappointing series defeat. He had his worst showing in Game 3, going for just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting, along with three rebounds, five assists, and four turnovers.
The Lakers almost embarrassingly lost the series 4-1, and this served as the final straw that led to the infamous breakup of the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal era in LA.
5. 2008 (vs. Boston Celtics)
Series stats: 25.7 points (on 40.5% shooting), 4.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.7 steals
After Shaq took his talents to South Beach in 2004, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers waited four long and frustrating years before they were to make their much-awaited Finals comeback. As fate would have it, they were pitted against their age-old rivals in the Boston Celtics.
Kobe did his very best to will his team to the title, and he was playing with a bit of a chip on his shoulders, with this series being his first Finals appearance sans O'Neal. Unfortunately, the Celtics Big 3 of Kein Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen proved to be too overwhelming for Kobe and the Lakers. Boston won the series in six games.
Nonetheless, Bryant had one of his best Finals performances in this series, with the Black Mamba carrying his team to a memorable Game 3 victory with 36 points on 12-of-20 shooting, along with seven rebounds, an assist, and two steals.
4. 2001 (vs. Philadelphia 76ers)
Series stats: 24.6 points (on 41.5% shooting), 7.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.4 blocks
In terms of the dominance of the Kobe-Shaq era in LA, the 2001 playoffs run is certainly the ultimate embodiment of the same. The Lakers literally swept their entire run to the Finals, without losing a single game throughout their entire journey in the Western Conference Playoffs.
They faced off against Philadelphia 76ers in the Finals, who at that time was the league's MVP. Dikembe Mutombo was that year's Defensive Player of the Year, while Aaron McKie was awarded as the Sixth Man of the Year. Needless to say, the Sixers proved to be an excellent match for Kobe and the Lakers in the Finals.
Philly upset LA in Game 1 in Staples Center, but that was the end of that potential underdog tale. The Lakers ended up winning the next four games, with Kobe finishing things off with a 26-points, 12-rebound, and six-assist all-around performance in the deciding and championship-clinching Game 5.
3. 2002 (vs. New Jersey Nets)
Series Stats: 26.8 points (on 51.4% shooting), 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.5 steals
Kobe Bryant's performance in the 2002 NBA Finals against an overmatched New Jersey Nets side has got to be his best one throughout that amazing three-peat run. In the end, the Lakers made easy work of the Nets, dominating them in all four games of the series, en route to a clean sweep in the Finals.
New Jersey did not go down without a fight, though, and with the Lakers up 2-0, the Nets tried to mount a comeback in Game 3 in their home floor. Kobe was having none of this, putting up 36 points, six rebounds, and four dimes, preventing a potentially momentum-swinging home victory by the Nets.
2. 2009 (vs. Orlando Magic)
Series stats: 32.4 points (on 43.0% shooting), 5.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.4 blocks
Statistically speaking, Kobe's performance in the 2009 Finals against the Orlando Magic was his best among all his Finals appearances. He did not only eclipse the 30-point mark throughout the series, but perhaps more impressively, he dished out an average of more than seven assists per contest, proving how much he trusted his teammates during the series.
The Magic were a formidable opponent, led by then-Defensive Player of the Year winner Dwight Howard. Bryant knew what was at stake, though, especially considering they were coming off a disappointing loss to the Celtics at this same stage in the previous season.
Kobe dropped a cool 40 points in Game 1, which was actually his Finals career-high. He made sure that he would set the tone early in the series and true enough, LA only needed five games to claim the title.
1. 2010 (vs. Boston Celtics)
Series stats: 28.6 points (on 40.5% shooting), 8.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.1 steals
While Bryant exhibited his dominance in the 2009 Finals, it was in 2010 that he exhibited his grit, as well as the famed Mamba Mentality.
It was a rematch against the Celtics, who had defeated the Lakers in 2008 — the stakes could not be any higher not only for the season, but also for Bryant's legacy.
This thrilling series went all the way to a Game 7, and it's hard to pick a single game that we can consider as his single best performance in the series. However, his Game 7 outing is certainly unforgettable. Despite shooting just 6-of-24 from the field, Bryant managed 15 rebounds in the contest. With the title on the line, Kobe did everything he could to will his side to victory.
Once it was all said and done, Kobe won his second consecutive Finals MVP trophy, along with championship No. 5.
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