Antawn Jamison relishes 51-point performance against Kobe Bryant

By Mark Medina

July 26, 2012 12 AM PT

Whenever the moment feels right, Antawn Jamison pops in a tape that highlights a different era, one in which he starred opposite Kobe Bryant.

Jamison may have openly gushed Wednesday at his introductory Lakers press conference about how Bryant’s presence will lead to easier looks and a path to an NBA championship. But there was a time nearly a dozen years ago when Jamison wanted nothing more than to beat him.

The Lakers’ 125-122 double-overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 6, 2000 featured Bryant and Jamison each scoring 51 points. It marked the first time two players had reached the 50-point plateau since 1962, when Wilt Chamberlain (63 points) and Elgin Baylor (51) provided the offensive fireworks. To this day, Jamison still shows off that tape to his 5-year-old son to show “what the old man used to do back in the day.”

In that game, Jamison traded baskets with the NBA’s league-leading scorer six times in the final two minutes of the second overtime. He matched Bryant’s greatness by converting a series of long jumpers, set shots and drives to the rack. At the time, it didn’t seem altogether surprising, since he was only days removed from scoring another 51 points against Seattle.

Jamison’s more consumed now with other things. He signed a one-year deal with the Lakers for the veteran’s minimum simply in the hopes of winning his first NBA championship after 17 seasons in the league.

Still, sometimes he can’t help thinking back.

“The only thing I remember is that we won that game,” Jamison said with a smile. “For me, definitely one of the highlights of my career.”