January 22, 2026, was the 20th anniversary of Kobe Bryant's 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors. During a session on NBA TV, Mavericks legend playfully recalled his favorite Kobe Bryant story.
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Nowitzki was referencing the 2011 NBA Playoffs, when his Mavs swept 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 beyond the arc. At the time, it was a historic win for the Mavericks, as the Lakers were the favorites due to their titles.
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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 only met once in the playoffs.
Many were sharing their memories of the former Lakers' star on the 20th anniversary of the greatest regular-season game of his career. Bryant died in a helicopter crash nearly six years ago, leaving behind a legacy and breaking the hearts of many basketball fans. Many former players have continually talked about Bryant in the aftermath of his death.
Shaquille O'Neal revealed he still thinks about Bryant all the time and has dreamed about him. Bryant was one of the rare players, aside from Nowitzki, to play 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.