FanHouse Bernard King

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Sunday, there are 16 days remaining.

It's never easy to overshadow Kobe Bryant, especially on a night when he leaves with 45 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, a game that every star in the league would love to have.

Gilbert Arenas did it with a record-setting performance three seasons ago.

Arenas, who still is trying to reach the status that Bryant enjoys, set an NBA record for most points scored in an overtime period (16), doing it against one of the league's finest defensive players.

When you have won seven -- 7! -- championship rings, more than any other non-Celtic, it may be difficult to keep track of all of them. Robert Horry, however, admitted Thursday that he is uncertain of the location of all seven of his rings -- three won with the Lakers and two each with the Rockets and Spurs. The recently retired Horry said a recent move has left his rings MIA and he believes movers may have placed his jewelry box amongst dozens of unopened boxes, against his orders.

"I never wear them and the thing is, I don't know where they are," he said on a conference call to recall playoff memories. "I just moved and they are in a box somewhere. The movers weren't supposed to touch it, but they touched it, but I am hoping they are in the house somewhere. I usually keep them in the bathroom in a drawer."

You have to love Kobe Bryant's timing. Just in case you were worried that Andrew Bynum's injury would knock the Lakers down a notch, Bryant reminded the world on Monday night why you can't ever take his team for granted by exploding for 61 points against the Knicks.

Scoring in bunches is nothing new for Bryant -- this was his 17th game with at least 50 points, and his fifth with at least 60 -- but this performance was notable for a few reasons. For one, no player in the history of the game has ever scored more points at Madison Square Garden.