Watch: Tracy McGrady hits spin move jumper on Kobe Bryant, and Kobe responds with a thunder dunk in an epic battle from 19 years ago
Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant are two of the best isolation, one-on-one scorers in NBA history. They both knew how to get buckets with the best of them, and 19 years ago, they faced off against each other.
In a game between the Orlando Magic and the LA Lakers, which the Magic won 112-102, the battle between McGrady and Bryant was a memorable one. They both finished the game with 38 points, and led the game in scoring.
Bryant also added ten rebounds with four assists, while McGrady helped his team with nine assists and six rebounds. They both took a lot of shots, combining for 59 shots and 29 free-throw attempts. They both were the focal point of their team's offense, delivering a tremendous offensive battle.
"T-Mac could do it all. Don't get it twisted. He was booked in for 30/6/6 every night. Nobody could stop him."
- Kevin Durant on 2 x Scoring Champ Tracy McGrady
https://t.co/tUqpuyQxpI
The two all-time greats ended in the top five of the 2002-03 NBA MVP race at the end of the season. Bryant came in third with eight first-place votes, while McGrady was fourth with four first-place votes.
They averaged over 30 points per game, with Bryant averaging exactly 30 and McGrady 32.1 points per game. Even though McGrady led the NBA in points per game, he came in second in total points behind Bryant, who ended the season with 2,461 total points.
Tracy McGrady is one of the forgotten elite NBA scorers
In his 16-year career, Tracy McGrady averaged 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He scored 18,381 points and five straight seasons averaging over 25 points, with back-to-back scoring titles during that five-year run.
Even though McGrady was selected into the Hall of Fame in 2017, on the 75th anniversary of the NBA, he was left off the list for the top 75 NBA players. A lot of that can be put on McGrady's struggles with injuries, as he played in 938 games, and his lack of playoff success.
"T-Mac could do it all. Don't get it twisted. He was booked in for 30/6/6 every night. Nobody could stop him."
- Kevin Durant on 2 x Scoring Champ Tracy McGrady
https://t.co/tUqpuyQxpI
When McGrady was healthy, he was easily one of the best offensive scorers in the NBA. One of the best scorers in NBA history, Kevin Durant has praised McGrady for his scoring ability, and their games are often compared.
Furthermore, McGrady shouldn't be blamed for his team's lack of playoff success. He averaged over 25 points in six separate playoff runs, four of them over 30 and twice led the NBA playoffs in points per game. McGrady did everything he could do to get his team into the playoffs, but didn't have the team to do so.
Tracy McGrady had a lot of individual highs in his career. However, due to his inability to stay healthy and lack of playoff success, he is often overlooked in NBA history. Nevertheless, he is still a Hall of Famer and one of the best individual scorers to have graced the league during its illustrious history.