LeBron James has drawn closer to surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record in the National Basketball Association (NBA), with just 63 points standing between him and the record. In a recent game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers, James contributed 26 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists to the Lakers’ 112-111 win. His teammate, Anthony Davis, also performed impressively, scoring a game-high 31 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. James stated in a post-game interview that he felt he needed to play more inside the paint and focus on getting more rebounds and baskets in the fourth quarter.
The Los Angeles Lakers have now won two consecutive games and are currently ranked 12th in the Western Conference as they strive to make a comeback and secure a playoff spot. LeBron James has accumulated a total of 38,325 points in his career, putting him just 62 points away from surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time NBA scoring record of 38,387 points, which was set when Abdul-Jabbar retired 36 years ago.
LeBron James has expressed his thoughts on the all-time scoring record in the NBA, stating that it is one of the greatest records in sports, similar to the home run record in baseball. He said that he never thought the record would be broken but saw other players like Hank Aaron, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire start to approach it, making him realize that it was indeed possible to break it.
James continued by saying that he enjoyed watching players like Sosa and McGwire chase the home run record every time they stepped up to the plate. He compared this experience to his current pursuit of the all-time NBA scoring record. In the recent game against the Indiana Pacers, the Lakers were trailing by eight points in the fourth quarter, but James hit a crucial three-pointer to give his team the lead with just over two minutes remaining.
On the same day, Anthony Davis also had a remarkable game despite learning that he would not be selected as a 2023 All-Star, which was a widely disputed decision among fans. Despite this, Davis’ performance this season when he was healthy was considered to be deserving of the All-Star recognition.
The Indiana Pacers suffered their fourth consecutive loss and are now sliding down the Eastern Conference standings. However, the team was given a boost with the return of their star guard, Tyrese Haliburton, who had been out due to injury for several weeks, but made his comeback in Thursday’s game against the Lakers.
LeBron James’ next opportunity to move closer to the all-time NBA scoring record will be on Saturday when the Lakers face the New Orleans Pelicans. It is expected that James will surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record on either Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder or next Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite managing an ankle injury throughout the season, James, who is a 19-time All-Star, is expected to continue his pursuit of the record.