Topline
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on Sunday became only the second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points joining another Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, bringing James within striking distance of overhauling the Hall of Famer’s all-time record of 38,387 points—one of the only remaining scoring records left for him to achieve.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) celebrates after scoring during the first half of an NBA … [+]
Key Facts
Playing against the Philadelphia 76ers at home, James breached the landmark in the first quarter with a jump shot to take his career tally from 37,999 to 38,001.
James ended the game with 38,024 career points, having scored 35 points along with 10 assists and eight rebounds against the 76ers.
Despite James’ strong performance, the 76ers pulled off a 113-112 win, handing the Lakers their third defeat on the trot, leaving them 13th on the Western Conference table with a win-loss record this season of 19-24.
While the Lakers remain near the bottom of the table, the 38-year-old James continues to play some of the best basketball of his career, averaging around 29 points per game.
What To Watch For
James is now just 364 points away from Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time record. If the Lakers star manages to keep his current rate of scoring going, he could overhaul the landmark in just 13 more games. This means James could end up on top of the all-time scoring charts as early as February.
Surprising Fact
While achieving the latest milestone on Sunday, James retained an interesting record of being the youngest player to breach every career-scoring landmark from 21,000 to 38,000 points, Fox Sports broadcaster Nick Wright noted on Twitter.
Further Reading
Lakers’ LeBron James becomes second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points (CBS Sports)
LeBron hits 38K, but Embiid leads 76ers past Lakers 113-112 (Associated Press)
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