Kobe impressed with himself after hitting half of his shots vs. Raptors

It wasn't 81 points, and it didn't even come with a victory, but Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant put forth his most efficient performance of the season in his final game against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

"The Black Mamba" scored a team-high 21 points in 31 minutes of action at the Air Canada Centre in a 102-93 loss to the defending Atlantic Division champions. Bryant also grabbed eight rebounds, handed out four dimes, and stole the ball on two occasions.

His most impressive number of all, though, came from his shooting percentages - an area the 37-year-old has been dreadful in through the first 20 games. Bryant managed to convert 50 percent of his shot attempts (8-of-16) for the first time this season, which he was certainly surprised to hear when told of the statistic after the game.

"Oh, really?" Bryant asked after the game, according to CBS Sports' James Herbert. "50 percent? Finally!"

Kobe Bryant's Shot Chart vs. Raptors

Bryant is shooting a career-low 30.6 percent from the field, and 21.9 percent from 3-point range this year. Monday was not only his first outing hitting half or more of his shots, but also just the fourth time he's nailed at least 40 percent of his attempts.

Kobe Bryant's Shot Chart For 2015-16 Season (21 Games)

Bryant's shot selection has been under severe scrutiny over the course of the ongoing campaign, whether it's the amount of shots he's taking on a nightly basis (a team-high 17.8), or simply where he's shooting from on the floor.

Considering it's now his final year in the NBA, there appears to be more leeway in how Bryant operates offensively, as much of the viewing public simply wants to see the five-time champion compete before he walks off the court for good - as ugly as it may get the rest of the way.