Kobe Bryant accomplished something Michael Jordan never did.
Or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Or Larry Bird.
Or anyone else in more than 41 years.
Bryant scored 45 points, making him the first player to score at least that many in four consecutive games since November 1964, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers 96-90 Monday night for their third straight victory.
The last player to score at least 45 or more points in four consecutive games was Wilt Chamberlain, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“I am just blessed. I have just been blessed to be able to play this game. I am just very fortunate,” Bryant told the Associated Press
Regarding his accomplishments, Bryant said: “I try not to think about it too much. I just try to stay in the moment as much as possible. With that being said, I still appreciate greatness and feel very blessed, very fortunate, of what’s going on. I am very lucky.”
Bryant scored 45 points on Dec. 28 against Memphis, 48 last Friday night against Philadelphia, and 50 on Saturday night against the Clippers.
He sat out games against Utah on Jan. 1-3 after being suspended for two games for elbowing Mike Miller in the Memphis game – a flagrant foul.
“I think that it’s remarkable,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Bryant’s latest accomplishment.
