2006 Kobe Bryant FMVP Breakdown
Kobe won the scoring title twice in his career: 35.4 points per game in 2005-06 and 31.6 in 2006-07. These two years were his wildest exploration of the 'ceiling of individual offense' and the 'Kobe solo-core era' of the Lakers after the O'Neal years.
The 35.4 in 2005-06 was one of the highest single-season scoring averages in the NBA since the turn of the century. That season he took almost all the clutch shots: difficult fadeaways, drifting threes, and explosive dunks all came naturally. The 81 points against the Raptors and the 62 points in three quarters against the Mavericks (already ahead of Dallas's total at 62) were both products of that year. With a weak Lakers roster, Kobe's 'unlimited green light' barely dragged the team into the playoffs; though eliminated in the first round, his individual offensive show became a phenomenon.
In 2006-07 his average dropped to 31.6 but still led the league, with steadier efficiency and colder clutch shots. These back-to-back scoring titles established Kobe as 'the league's No. 1 scorer' at the time. Notably, he did not pad stats—a large share of his points came from hard isolation against targeted double-teams, extremely difficult.
The significance of the scoring title lies in proving Kobe's arsenal had no weaknesses: left and right finishes, mid-range, threes, post-ups, off-ball movement and catch-and-shoot—all masterful. He is often compared to Jordan; the two are indeed similar in the 'completeness of scoring means.' The numbers 35.4 and 31.6 still burn today—they pushed what a player could do on offense to a visibly extreme limit.
