Kobe’s 30,000

Currently #12 in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers (the most talked about team in the NBA last summer) are not doing so well with just 9 wins under their belt and 12 losses.

They were thought to be “the team to beat” once again after Steve Nash and Dwight Howard joined LA this past July and August. But between Nash’s knee injury during game two of the regular season against the Portland Trail Blazers and the general disjointed chemistry of the entire team, the buildup surrounding the Lakers abruptly ended.

The Lakers, especially Kobe Bryant, were naturally unhappy with the team’s slow start of 0-3 (the first time in 34 years). The team has been fighting hard to recover. Although improvement has occurred, just at a slow pace, more time and practice is needed for the Lakers to get back to their original status.

One thing the Lakers have going for them is Kobe. The Lakers/Hornets game last Wednesday marked Bryant’s spot as the youngest all-time best scorer in NBA history to reach 30,000 points. With 1:16 left in the second quarter, Bryant made a right-handed runner against the Hornets, giving him 30,001 points at the age of 34.

Wilt Chamberlain (31,419), Michael Jordan (32,292), Karl Malone (36,928) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) are the only other players in NBA history to reach the 30,000-point mark.