Kobe Bryant NBA Record Career High 12 3pts Game Highlight

Kobe Bryant acknowledged it was the game of a lifetime.

At least as an adult.

Bryant made an NBA-record 12 shots from 3-point range, including nine straight, in scoring 45 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Seattle SuperSonics 119-98 on Tuesday night.

When asked if he had ever had a such a game, Bryant replied: "Maybe one time when I was 7 years old, I got 63 points. I was playing against kids who were 14, in Italy."

Bryant, who had never made more than five 3-pointers in an NBA game, broke Dennis Scott's record of 11 with 6:58 to play.

The 24-year-old Bryant shot 12-of-18 from beyond the arc and 16-of-28 overall. He made 11 3-pointers in the second and third quarters, when he scored all but seven of his points.

His nine straight 3-pointers is also an NBA single-game record.

"It's hard to describe," Bryant said of the feeling he had once he got hot. "You just feel so confident. You get your feet set and get a good look at the basket -- it's going in.

"Even the ones I missed I thought were going in."

Bryant, who played 37 minutes, said he wasn't aware the 3-point record was 11 until being told by a ballboy during the game.

The four-time All-Star said he felt good beforehand, but nothing out of the ordinary.

"I never thought I would have a game like this, though," he said. "I made the first one, I said, 'Let me see if I can make two.' I made the second one, I said, 'Let me see if I can make three.' I made the third one, I said, 'I've got a rhythm going.' "

Bryant received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center when he left the game for good with 4:16 remaining and the Lakers leading 110-88.

"That was perhaps the greatest streak shooting I have ever seen in my life," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who has coached nine NBA championship teams -- six in Chicago and three with the Lakers.

Bryant didn't make his first 3-pointer until connecting with 5:28 left in the second quarter.

That opened the floodgates.

He added five more without a miss before halftime as the Lakers outscored the Sonics 23-12 for a 60-45 lead.

Bryant opened the scoring in the third quarter with a three-point play, and added three more 3-pointers to put the Lakers ahead 76-58 with 7:17 left in the period.

At that stage, he had made 10 straight shots -- all but one from 3-point range.

Bryant finally misfired from beyond the arc two minutes later, but scored off a pass from Shaquille O'Neal, who rebounded the miss.

Bryant then hit back-to-back 3-pointers to tie Scott's record and give the Lakers an 86-65 lead with 2½ minutes left in the third period.

Bryant had made 26-of-92 3-pointers this season entering the game and missed his first attempt before suddenly getting hot and breaking the record Scott set for Orlando against Atlanta on April 18, 1996.

He entered having made 319 of 1,025 career shots from 3-point range.

The previous franchise record was eight by Glen Rice once, and Nick Van Exel three times.

"The shots he took were shots you would want guys to take -- 3 or 4 feet behind the 3-point line with a hand in his face," Sonics coach Nate McMillan said. "He made five or six in a row ... nine in a row? Well, there you go.

"I don't think most guys can do that in a gym by themselves, let alone a game where you're being defended."

O'Neal added 20 points and a season-high seven assists for the Lakers (15-20), who have won four of their last five.

Desmond Mason led the Sonics (16-17) with 19 points and nine rebounds. Vladimir Radmanovic added 18 points and eight rebounds for Seattle, which has lost six of its last eight.

Devean George made two 3-pointers early in the final period to give the Lakers 16, surpassing their previous high of 15 established twice. They finished 17-of-32 from beyond the arc to equal the third-highest team 3-point total ever in the NBA.

The Lakers made only 10-of-52 shots from 3-point range in their previous three games including 2-of-21 in a 107-93 loss at Phoenix last Saturday night.

Bryant scored 37 points in that game, but missed all eight 3-pointers he tried.