The 2008 Los Angeles Lakers were on the path to the NBA Finals, but first, they had to get beyond the Denver Nuggets.
Holding a 1-0 lead heading into game two at Staples Center, the series was still well and truly in the balance until a classic Kobe Bryant performance swung the momentum in favour of the purple and gold.
49 points from Bryant led the Lakers to a 122-107 win, with a vintage Kobe 4th quarter effectively ending the game.
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Bryant scored 19 points in a 4:19 stretch in the 4th, sending the home crowd into a frenzy and ensuring the Lakers would take a commanding 2-0 lead.
"I didn't realize it. You just get into one of those rhythms. My teammates were looking for me, it just feels like the ball finds you," Bryant told reporters postgame.
Bryant added ten assists to his 49 points, while Allen Iverson had 31 points and Carmelo Anthony tallied 23 for Denver.
The Lakers would ultmately take the series and move to the NBA Finals, losing 4-2 to the Boston Celtics.
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