Bryant erupts for 61 points as Lakers trounce Knicks

Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant scored 61 points to set the all-time scoring record at the current Madison Square Garden as Los Angeles trounced the New York Knicks 126-117 yesterday.

Bryant notched the 24th 50-point game of his National Basketball Association career.

He surpassed Bernard King's 60-point performance on December 25, 1984 at the storied Manhattan venue.

NBA icon Michael Jordan held the scoring mark for an opponent at the Garden with 55 points in 1995 - a famous outburst dubbed the "double-nickel."

Bryant was 19-of-31 from the field and 20-of-20 from the free-throw line. He also nailed 3-of-6 from three-point range.

The performance earned an MVP chant from the crowd, which included a sizeable contingent in Lakers purple and gold.

Bryant set the NBA's season-high scoring performance - but fell 20 shy of his own extraordinary career-best effort.

Bryant torched the Toronto Raptors for 81 - the second-best output in NBA history - on January 22, 2006.

Bryant, did, however, smash his personal season high of 41 points.

Bryant was hot from the start, scoring 18 points in the first quarter. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player scored 34 points in the first half Monday, the second-best mark in a half this season.

Carmelo Anthony poured in 36 points on December 10, when he tied an NBA record with 33 points in the third quarter.

In this one, the fourth quarter was when Bryant really had the Garden buzzing as he nailed three free throws to give him 57 points and make it 119-100 with 3:56 left.

The trio from the stripe forged the largest lead of the game.

After making a tough jump shot off a reverse pivot, Bryant added two free throws with 2:31 left to surpass King, cap his memorable night and provide perhaps the greatest performance at the current Madison Square Garden, which opened in February 1968.

The Knicks, will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, when LeBron James takes center stage in midtown Manhattan.

James, Bryant's foil in a race for the title of the league's best player hit for 50 points here on March 5, 2008.