The Los Angeles Lakers are in search of their first regular season win in Denver in over two years, a span of four games. Kobe Bryant has continued his climb up the all-time NBA scoring list this season, and could pass another legend tonight, although it would take something from him that Kobe hasn't done in nearly two years. Bryant begins play tonight 51 points behind Hakeem Olajuwon for eighth place on the all-time scoring list.
Bryant began this season in 12th place on the all-time list, but has already passed John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, and Oscar Robertson. However, if 51 points seems like a tall order, it is. Kobe hasn't scored that many since dropping 61 on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on February 2, 2009.
| NBA All-Time Scoring List | |||
| Rank | Player | Points | Avg |
| 6 | Moses Malone | 27,409 | 20.6 |
| 7 | Elvin Hayes | 27,313 | 21.0 |
| 8 | Hakeem Olajuwon | 26,946 | 21.8 |
| 9 | Kobe Bryant | 26,895 | 25.1 |
| 10 | Oscar Robertson | 26,710 | 25.7 |
Bryant has scored 50 or more points 24 times in his career, and the Lakers are 17-7 in those games. In six of those games he scored exactly 50 points, so in order for Bryant to catch Hakeem tonight he would have to do something he has done 18 times in 1,065 regular season games. Sounds like a dream.
For more information on Friday's game, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.