The lockout-shortened 1999 season was Kobe Bryant’s third in the NBA, and although he had shown flashes of potential, he hadn’t even come close to putting it all together yet.
That year, he entered the starting lineup for the first time, and he put up 21.1 points per game on 47% shooting in his first 11 contests.
Although it was a very turbulent season for the Los Angeles Lakers, they managed to start 17-9 thanks to a 10-game winning streak.
On March 21, after losing three of its previous four, L.A. went on the road to face the Orlando Magic, Shaquille O’Neal’s former team.
Although the big fella scored 31 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, his young co-star was the real headline-maker on this day.
After the Lakers fell behind, 63-43, at halftime, Bryant scored 33 points on 13-of-16 shooting in the second half, giving him 38 points on the day.
Behind the 20-year-old’s exploits, Los Angeles came back to win, 115-104.
The Lakers eventually came apart at the seams that spring, but March 21 provided a bunch of highlights, not to mention plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future.
