Kobe Bryant scored a staggering 81 points -- the second-highest total in NBA history -- and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 122-104 on Sunday night.
With the fans at Staples Center chanting "MVP! MVP!" Bryant made two free throws with 43.4 seconds remaining for his final points, putting him behind only Wilt Chamberlain on the all-time scoring list.
Chamberlain scored 100 points for Philadelphia against the New York Knicks at Hershey, Pennsylvania, on March 2, 1962. His second-highest total was 78 against the Lakers in three overtimes on Dec. 8, 1961.
PHOTO: AP
"I couldn't even dream of this when I was a kid," Bryant said. "There was no way possible."
Bryant left to a standing ovation with 4.2 seconds remaining, having shot 28-of-46 from the floor and 18-of-20 from the foul line.
Elgin Baylor held the previous franchise record of 71 points at New York on Nov. 15, 1960.
Michael Jordan's career high was 69 points, and only three players had ever scored more than 70 -- Chamberlain, Baylor, and David Robinson.
The 27-year-old Bryant made it four.
He played nearly 42 minutes, going the entire second half until being lifted by coach Phil Jackson. He scored 27 points in the third quarter and 28 more in the fourth.
Bryant scored 62 points during a 112-90 victory over Dallas last month, but sat out the fourth quarter because of the one-sided nature of the game.
SuperSonics 152, Suns 149, 2OT
In Phoenix, Arizona, Ray Allen made a 30-footer at the second-overtime buzzer to break the NBA record for most combined 3-pointers in a game and Seattle beat Phoenix in the league's highest-scoring contest in 11 years.
The teams combined for 32 3-pointers, breaking the mark of 31 set by Toronto and Philadelphia on March 13, 2005. The 301 points were the most in a game since Dallas beat Houston 156-147 in two overtimes on April 11, 1995.
It was the first 150-point game in the NBA since the Los Angeles Clippers beat Toronto 152-120 on March 15, 1998.
Allen scored 42 points, including 8-of-16 3s, and Luke Ridnour a career-high 30 as the Sonics snapped a four-game losing streak and handed Phoenix its first home loss in seven games.
76ers 86, Timberwolves 84
At Minneapolis, Andre Iguodala's follow of Chris Webber's missed layup narrowly beat the buzzer, and Philadelphia rallied from a 19-point deficit.
Allen Iverson scored 39 points for the 76ers, who overcame a poor shooting performance to win their second straight and sweep the season series against the Wolves.
Iguodala had 14 points and Webber finished with 11. Webber was only 4-for-16 from the floor, but helped hold Kevin Garnett to 13 points -- nine below his average -- on the other end.
Wally Szczerbiak led Minnesota with 18 points, Marko Jaric had 15, Trenton Hassell 14 and Eddie Griffin 13.
Nuggets 89, Spurs 85
At San Antonio, Earl Boykins scored nine of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, and Denver held Tim Duncan to one field goal in the second half.
Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points for the Nuggets, while Andre Miller had 15 points and 10 assists.
Nazr Mohammed led San Antonio with a season-high 17 points and 12 rebounds. Duncan had 14 points and 13 rebounds, Tony Parker scored 13 points and Brent Barry 12.
Barry started in place of Manu Ginobili, who sprained his right ankle in Friday night's win in Miami.
Grizzlies 93, Wizards 82
At Washington, sixth man Mike Miller scored a season-high 30 points, and Memphis withstood another big game from Washington's new Big Three to snap a four-game losing streak.
Antawn Jamison, Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler combined for 65 points for Washington. Jamison led the way with 25 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth consecutive 20-10 game, and Arenas scored 24.
Memphis' leading scorer, forward Pau Gasol, was in foul trouble most of the game and was limited to 13 points and four rebounds in 27 minutes.
Clippers 105, Warriors 92
At Los Angeles, Cuttino Mobley had 22 points and nine assists, Sam Cassell scored 21 points, and Los Angeles beat Golden State.
Chris Kaman added 17 points and 15 rebounds, and Elton Brand had 12 points with 15 boards. Backup center Zeljko Rebraca returned to the court for the first time since Nov. 23, after an irregular heartbeat forced him to miss 25 games. He played 5 minutes, getting two points and one rebound.
Jason Richardson scored 23 points for the Warriors, who got 22 points but only five assists from point guard Baron Davis.
The Clippers have beaten Golden State six straight times, tying their longest winning streak ever against the Warriors.
Pistons 99, Rockets 97
At Auburn Hills, Michigan, Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton each scored 24 points, and Detroit overcame Tracy McGrady's season-high 43 to win its seventh straight game.
McGrady was only 2-for-8 from the field in the fourth quarter as Houston (13-26) lost for the eighth time in nine games. Rockets forward Ryan Bowen left the game early in the second quarter after complaining of an irregular heartbeat.
Ben Wallace had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Pistons, who are 17-3 at the Palace of Auburn Hills this season. Rasheed Wallace and Maurice Evans added 11 apiece.
Juwan Howard scored 16 for the Rockets.
Heat 119, Kings 99
At Miami, Shaquille O'Neal scored 27 points and Dwyane Wade added 22 to lead Miami.
Jason Williams had 19 points, going 10-of-10 from the free throw line, as Miami snapped a two-game losing streak.
Williams made six free throws and O'Neal had three field goals to help Miami put away the game with a 19-9 run that opened a 108-93 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Peja Stojakovic scored 19 points in the Kings' second loss in two nights in Florida. Sacramento lost 83-78 in overtime at Orlando on Saturday.
Mavericks 95, Trail Blazers 89, OT
At Portland, Oregon, Jerry Stackhouse scored 29 points to lead Dallas.
Dirk Nowitzki added 23 points for Dallas, which won its fifth straight overall and franchise-high eighth straight against Portland.
Zack Randolph had 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Trail Blazers, who had won four straight for the first time since 2003-2004.
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