Boos breaking out inside Crypto.com Arena is nothing new. However, tonight, as the Los Angeles Lakers’ home crowd prepared for a marquee game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, one PA announcement caught them off guard. Oddly enough, it was about Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, and a realization that the unthinkable had happened.

Longtime PA announcer Lawrence Tanter announced to the Lakers crowd before tipoff that Adebayo, in a game against the Washington Wizards earlier today, had scored 83 points, the second-highest mark in NBA history. As soon as the number was announced, the boos started ringing. As many fans might realize, the reason is obvious.

Adebayo’s monstrous performance has now surpassed one of the most sacred scoring marks in modern NBA history: Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s 81-point masterclass against the Toronto Raptors from 2006. For about two decades, Bryant’s explosion stood as the second-highest scoring game in NBA history.

Clearly, that realization did not sit well with a portion of the Lakers crowd, for whom Bryant is an iconic figure, perhaps the greatest player in franchise history. The boos are likely part of an emotional reaction, especially since this was the first time most in the crowd had heard of the record-breaking performance.

Adebayo recorded the performance on a night where the team was missing three starters, as well as a huge scoring punch. The scoring came from all over the floor: 20-43 from the field, 7-22 from beyond the arc, and a record-breaking 36-43 from the charity stripe.

Many across the NBA community praised Adebayo for his incredible play, including former Heat teammates Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem. Unfortunately, it seems like Lakers fans were not as pleased with the center’s achievements.

Kobe Bryant’s 81-point Masterpiece Still Looms Large in Lakers History vs Bam Adebayo

Back on January 22, 2006, Kobe Bryant delivered one of the most brilliant performances the NBA has ever seen. Facing the lowly Toronto Raptors, the Lakers’ superstar poured in a career-high 81 points to take a come-from-behind win. At the time, only Wilt Chamberlain’s historic 100-point game sat above it on the all-time scoring list.

It was perhaps the defining moment of Bryant’s career, and a cornerstone of Lakers culture. For years, fans saw the game as a testament to the Black Mamba’s relentless scoring ability, competitive drive, and indomitable mindset, as well as a record that would likely never be touched.

Bam Adebayo broke LeBron James’ Miami Heat single-game scoring mark, previously set at 61 points by the King against the Charlotte Bobcats in 2014. Adebayo matched that point total in three quarters and never looked back.

Adebayo credited his partner, WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson, as one of the main figures in his performance tonight, saying, “She was joking about how I got my 10,000th point and saying she wanted me to wait until she was there. So having her here for my 83rd is very special. Obviously, you see what she does and get inspired by it every day. I’m thankful to have her in my life.”

So even if Adebayo doesn’t have the support of Lakers fans, it seems like he’s doing quite well for himself.