21 Years Ago Today, Kobe Bryant And Antawn Jamison Had Their History Making Duell
While we all know about Kobe Bryant and his incredible career, Antawn Jamison seems to be flying under the radar in today’s generation.
Granted, Jamison was nowhere near the player Bryant was, but he still is under appreciated.
Drafted No. 4 overall in 1998 after a stellar college career at North Carolina, Jamison entered the NBA with the Golden State Warriors and spent his prime with the Washington Wizards. He won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2004 with the Dallas Mavericks squad, then went to Washington and made the All-Star team in 2005 and 2008.
Jamison averaged 20+ points in 6 seasons (24.9 PPG was his highest season average) and ended his career with averages of 18.5 PPG, 7.5 REB and 1.6 AST. Jamison is one of only 20 players to compile 20.000 points, 8.000 rebounds and 1.000 assists, and one of very few players to register back-to-back 50+ point games.
The second of these back-to-back 50+ point games, after scoring 51 on December 3 against the Sonics, took place on December 6, 2000, 21 years ago today.
But Antawn Jamison wasn’t the only one scoring above 50 that night. In an all-time classic between the Warriors and Lakers, Jamison and Kobe Bryant both went for 51 points.
It was the first time in nearly 38 years and only the third time in NBA history that opposing players each scored at least 50 points in an NBA game. Before that night, it last occurred on December 14, 1962, when Wilt Chamberlain scored 63 points for the Philadelphia Warriors and Elgin Baylor tallied 50 points for the Los Angeles Lakers.
