Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks goes down hilariously with the mic on Kobe Bryant
On January 22, 2026, it was 20 years since Kobe Bryant’s performance of 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. During a session on NBA TV, the Mavericks legend playfully recalled his favorite story about Kobe Bryant.
Nowitzki was referring to the 2011 NBA playoffs, when his Mavs beat the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, led by Bryant. He averaged 25.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in the series while shooting 57% from the floor, including 50% from the field. At the time, it was a historic win for the Mavericks, as the Lakers were the favorites for their titles.
It was also the only time the Mavericks met the Lakers in the playoffs while Nowitzki and Bryant were on their respective teams. Despite both playing their entire careers with the same team, they have only met once in the playoffs.
Many shared their memories of the former Lakers star on the 20th anniversary of the biggest regular season game of his career. Bryant died in a helicopter crash almost six years ago, leaving behind a legacy and breaking the hearts of many basketball fans. Many former players kept talking about Bryant after his death.
Shaquille O’Neal revealed that he still thinks about Bryant all the time and dreamed about him. Bryant was one of the few players, other than Nowitzki, who played his entire career with one team. Nowitzki played 21 seasons in the NBA. In those 21 seasons, he averaged 20.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 47.1% from the floor. Likewise, Bryant averaged 25 points per game in 20 seasons with the Lakers.
2026-01-23 15:31:00
