OTD: Kobe Bryant posts triple-double to lead Lakers against Michael Jordan’s Wizards

20 seasons, 5 championships, and countless records. But why was Kobe’s third of 21 career triple-doubles so important? He reached this milestone 22 years ago, on February 12, 2002. What’s more important is who he does it against. The 23-year-old Beane was facing his childhood idol, Michael Jordan, and he dominated.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ opponent is the Washington Wizards, who have six-time NBA champion Jordan. In front of a home crowd at Staples Center, the Lakers trailed by 20 points, but Bryant finished with 23 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds. He was a key force in the Wizards’ 103-94 win and snapping a five-game winning streak.

Michael Jordan entered semi-retirement after leaving the Chicago Bulls, signed with the Washington Wizards, and competed with the league’s new dynasty led by the Shaq-Kobe Bryant duo. The Lakers are the two-time defending champions and are on their way to winning three consecutive championships.but his magnanimity In the way.

Watch this story | Charles Barkley urges Warriors to beat Adam Silver, eliminate Draymond Green’s ‘unnecessarily evil’ strategy

Shaquille O’Neal, who was out with arthritic pain in his big toe, watched from the bench as Bryant led the team against Jordan.The first half certainly looked like black cat’s game. At halftime, he led the Wizards to a 13-point lead. The second half was Kobe’s.because black Mamba, Jordan, who scored 22 points and dished out six assists, got a feel for what it was like to face a team coached by the legendary Phil Jackson.

Michael Jordan gets a taste of himself through Kobe Bryant

The iconic head coach led the Bulls dynasty during Jordan’s championship run. He also quit the team along with Jordan and signed with the Lakers. Bryant helped Jackson overcome his former star player.

The Lakers turned a 63-43 deficit in the third quarter into an 86-74 fourth quarter. Bryant made 9 of 20 shots and replaced Shaq in the third quarter to lead his teammates to rally. A crowd of more than 18,000 at Staples Center (now also known as “The House That Kobe Built” since the unveiling of the Kobe Bryant statue on February 2) when Bryant hit the ball from the outside over Jordan with just over a minute left in the game. The cheers were the loudest.

Jordan may be discovering what past rivals feel like facing the Phil Jackson-led Bulls. Because after losing to Kobe and Jackson in this game, he admitted, “We’re not quite in their league yet.“As Elton John said, it’s the cycle of life, the Lakers dynasty had Jordan say,”We collapsed under their pressure and that’s what championship teams do to you.“