The Lakers are riding high, feeding off a boisterous crowd that will now be in a Kobe-induced frenzy. I imagine the hottest NBA ticket is in Los Angeles when the Lakers play at home, Tickets are selling like hotcakes these days, as a lot of people are going to want to see what Kobe's doing each night. After scoring 81 points in one game, Kobe Bryant's status as a player is now in the company of Wilt Chamberlain, arguably, the greatest NBA player to ever play the game. Bryant's feat is second only to Chamberlain, who scored 100 points in a game for the Philadelphia Warriors in 1962 against the New York Knicks. So, it begs the question; Is Kobe Bryant one of the greatest? Well, at least he had his name placed next to Chamberlains in the record books.

Kobe Bryant says he feels a little embarrassed by his 81-point effort against the Toronto Raptors, and that he is not trying to eclipse Wilt Chamberlain's long-standing record of 100 points in a game, according to a Reuters report. Bryant continues to be hounded by questions after his scoring outburst. "I'm a little embarrassed actually," Bryant said after a Lakers' practice. "I think it's exciting for the game and the organization because of all the buzz, but personally it's a little embarrassing." Kobe Bryant may have some personal issues about which he should be embarrassed, but scoring 81 in a single game is not one of them.

He is trying to lead the Lakers to a successful season, and ultimately, a good showing in the NBA playoffs. Bryant leads the NBA in scoring, averaging 35.7 points per game. In January, with his 81 point game, he averaged 43.4 points per game. He joined Chamberlain again in the record books as the only other player to average over 40 points per game in a single month. He says winning is the most important thing for the Lakers.

"The concept is not about going out there and putting on a show or going out there and scoring points," he said. "It's to win games. I'd much rather go out and score 25 points and get 10 assists and see everybody in a rhythm, everybody in a groove." About Chamberlain's mark Bryant said, "I don't even think about it. That's unthinkable. It was done once by Wilt, and I'm not Wilt."

One of the most controversial topics for basketball fans is whether Wilt Chamberlain is the best player ever. His incredible statistics are unparalleled, but the great argument against him is that he "only" won two championships. So, there are several players who arguably rival Chamberlain for the title of greatest basketball player of all time, including Bill Russell, his lifelong on-court nemesis, who won a mind-numbing 11 titles and regularly beat up on Chamberlain's teams in the playoffs. There is also Michael Jordan, who earned six titles and won five NBA regular season and six Championship Finals MVP titles; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who also won six titles and is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who won five titles and was more of an all-around player than Chamberlain.

Statistically, Johnson was arguably the greatest offensive producer ever. Assuming every assist creates 2 points, he produced 54.85 points per 48 minutes, compared to Michael Jordan