On Tuesday night, Lakers forward LeBron James achieved a feat many of us had once thought impossible. The 19-time All-Star surpassed Hall of Fame center and Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s all-time regular season scoring record of 38,387 career points.
With 10 seconds left in the third quarter of a nationally televised game against the visiting Thunder on Tuesday night, James scored his 35th and 36th points, which moved him into sole possession of the league’s scoring record (video link via Bleacher Report).
Play was stopped for a special mid-game presentation, as Abdul-Jabbar and NBA commissioner Adam Silver were on hand to congratulate the four-time champion and four-time MVP.
James actually passed Abdul-Jabbar in historic cumulative scoring last year, lapping the six-time MVP’s total combined regular season and postseason points.
Now, LeBron possesses both that record and this regular season mark. He looks poised to significantly widen his lead in both categories, given that he’s averaging an impressive 30.2 PPG this season and recently expressed a desire to play for a few more years.
Presumably, the four-time MVP’s next goal is simply making the 2022/23 postseason, which is no sure thing. L.A. is currently the No. 13 seed in a bunched-up West, behind Oklahoma City.
The Lakers stars are great but The Lakers are embarrassingly bad against Thunder tonight
The Lakers’ offense lacks fluidity
The Lakers are embarrassingly bad at shooting the ball.The reason the Lakers are so bad is because they are asking players to do things that they can’t. Asking Walker to shoot 40% from the three
Still not the best scorer of all time
Some much hate in your heart lmao
Or a fact
I mean the fact that LeBron owns the record for regular season, playoff, and career scoring would suggest otherwise. You can be the greatest at something without necessarily being the most skilled. KD, Steph, MJ, Kobe are all arguably more gifted and more dynamic scorers. And none of them currently own the #1 spot for any of the scoring records.
Mmm Michael jordan holds the record for most point per game average for both season and playoffs and scoring titles won . Lebron James achieved is great but it’s all about longevity. Michael jordan is about talent
Yes, LeBron, isn’t talented.
What?
Not as talented as Jordan Lebron is a top 3 Jordan is the GOAT
He is, scoring wasn’t even his greatest attribute but he’s the all time leading scorer now.
His greatest attribute is his basketball IQ
It is because he played longer it’s called longevity. Jordan played five season less and averaged more point per games. In addition in Lebron era they shoot more threes . Kareem has the record while shooting one three which is more impressive in my book. Again Lebron is a good scorer
It’s great to see LeBron James become the NBA All Time Leading Scorer. It’s beautiful to see it because he’s a pass first superstar. He’s such an unselfish superstar. I’m so thankful I’ve been able to watch him his whole career. From his very first game in Sacramento to tonight. He is truly amazing. I’m so happy for LeBron James. He went for the record tonight and played very well. Y’all really need to stop hating on him and congratulate the man and give him his flowers. What he’s done over the past 20 years is absolute greatness. He has played at a high level at 18 years old and still playing at a high level at 38 years old. He’s the most talented player I’ve ever seen grace the basketball court.
Agreed. I’m still waiting for the person who said there were 50 players that were better to name them and to provide the stats to back them up.
That “pass first” thing about him is a universally accepted cliche.
He’s a “right play first” type of player…. depending on the situation.
That said, imo, he IS the best passer in the history of the game.
Came a long way from that May of 2002 day in the Cavaliers practice gym upstairs in the Gund when he destroyed the whole workout as a high school junior against nba pros.
Can’t say I knew from that day he’d become the nba’s alltime leading scorer but I knew he’d be the guy that’d be in the conversation with Jordan.
I still believe Stockton and magic , and Chris Paul are better passer than Lebron but he is top Four or five passer for sure . He is top 3 all time
Simply amazing! Keep going !!
He’s not in my top 3 and he’s not the best scorer but it’s impressive
He’s number 1 now, followed by great such as Jordan and the man he surpassed tonight.
Bron can’t be the GOAT, not with those SIX humiliating Finals losses hanging over him. That’s what his legacy is: choking on the games biggest stage.
And flopping.
Your opinion is invalid
I don’t know how you can’t put him in the top 3. Jordan and….Wilt? Bill Russell? Jabbar? What three players are ahead of Lebron?
“Arguably” top 3.
GOAT – JORDAN
(Et al.)
2 – Magic, Kobe, Lebron, Kareem
6 – Bird, Duncan, Hakeem, Shaq, Wilt
11 – Steph, Giannis, KD
as a Celtics fan, I can agree with this list. he is an all time great, just not the best ever. different eras, different players, but if you have all those guys playing in today’s NBA, that 2-10 might look a little different
yep, that’s currently my list. i know that, of course it’s still going to change but not the TOP place.
I wonder if the league is mandating that teams hold off on announcing trades today in order to not outshine the record being broken
Lakers did not play any defense so they could get on offense so LeBron could get the scoring title. Even the Refs was helping LeBron by not calling travels and offensive fouls on him. It was 100% obvious to everyone that winning wasn’t the Lakers goal but for LeBron to get the record.
He’s not as graceful as Jordan, automatic as Durant, cant shoot like curry nor has his on signature move like Kareem but scoring is about getting buckets and that’s what he can do. Just give the man his flowers
PEDS, wide open floor, and fast breaks are his thing
Is he scoring!!?? Is it effective??!! shooting mid range and dunking was Micheals thing. Whats your argument?
All he did? a top five most crafty finisher ever and post-up god…….. watch MJ games
I watched him play. never said he wasn’t impressive. But you’re diminishing LeBron scoring ability to two things.. Lebron has acrobatic finishes, the best driver of all time, can post, fade, shoot 3’s, side step, euro, etc lmao. Watch LBJ games
LeBron has more points assist and triple doubles than Michael. If your only argument is mj has more rings…. than Bill Russell should be the goat
Lol PEDs. So salty. Just appreciate greatness. Dude came into the league with the highest expectations probably any player has ever had and somehow exceeded those expectations. The guy’s only blemish on his career is his Finals record and yet he still won 4 rings while setting multiple playoff records.
You’re 2 outta 3 and that ain’t bad.
GOAT!
Kareem was amazing too!! How we all forgot… high school, college, nba … winning titles at all lvels and always class… one of the greatest for sure!
Kinda seems like the Lakers prioritized LeBrons record tonight than actually winning a basketball game.
Watched a little bit of the game and it was obvious they didn’t care to play defense just get Lebron the ball on almost every play.
Lakers doing Laker things
LeRecord
As annoying as he may be, it’s hard to argue with LeBron’s accomplishments. Heck of a career
I don’t even like LeBron, but all your complaints about who is better usually are based off of your feelings and not the numbers
Sad.
Your condition is truly sad but one day with modern medicine perhaps you’ll get past your sad, nasty flatulence. I’ve heard Preparation-H helps.
A curtsy would have sufficed. Instead there was 15 minutes of pageantry before the final 10 seconds of the 3rs quarter resumed. Ultimately the Lakers lost.
When someone breaks a nearly 40 year old record -one which will likely never be broken again- it deserves more than a “curtsy”. I thought what they did was proper for an accomplishment of that magnitude.
Do not like lebron but there’s no denying his greatness. Put him on nba Mount Rushmore he’s king of the hill for 20 years
I’ve never seen Bill, Wilt or Kareem so I can’t speak much in reference to them. But if you don’t have either MJ or LeBron as your GOAT, then basketball isn’t the sport for you.
Personally for me without a doubt, LeBron James is the greatest player of all time.
Although not even considered a scorer by many, he’s now the leader in points scored. For the haters that say it’s a longevity stat, he’s 5th all time in points per game (0.06 behind KD who many say is the most skilled scorer or whatever).
The reason people don’t consider him a scorer is cause he’s offers so much more.
He’s the only player to be in the top 100 in all 6 major stats (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and 3 pointers).
In my eyes he didn’t just win this now either, he won it beating the 73-9 Warriors (the greatest regular season team ever), coming back from 3-1 down, winning game 7 on the road and delivering his home town team the Cleveland Cavaliers there first ever title.
I wish more people would just be happy to witness a legend of the game cause it’s not long till he won’t be playing anymore.
Lebron is top3 for me, but prob not over MJ. It’s mostly because watching MJ in the finals, you just felt he was going to do what he needed to do, to win.
There’s been games where Lebron seemed to have lacked the drive/energy to win it, and I don’t think I ever saw MJ take a game off during the playoffs.
I want to avoid ranking them because of different eras and competition. Because it has been awesome to watch Lebron play so consistently and without any major injuries too. He’s def built different.
I definitely don’t mind people having Jordan number 1 cause I can see why they think that and it’s literally such a close call and really there’s no one defining factor it’s just opinion.
But I mean it has to be Jordan or LeBron for me. If you say anyone else is better than either guy I just disagree
LeBron was incredible in finals. Just so happen he ran into a dynasty. I would like to see Jordan and LeBron switch team/time Era and see how far he could go with those cavs team. What if LeBron joined the warriors and not Durant. LeBron would have two more rings. Just saying it’s easy to earn rings when youre with a dynasty. When mj left in 1994, bulls still won 55 games w/o him…
Mmm the season MJ returned and before he rejoined the team the bulls were 23–25 and when he came back they were 24-10. The season he did not play the bulls lost to the Knicks in the second round which MJ never lost to in the playoffs. He would have done great with the cavs . The East was weak at Lebron time . Facing the golden state I believe he would have beaten them twice in the championship. Again for me Lebron is a top 3 player MJ is the GOAT.
For me, Jordan is still comfortably the GOAT. His prime is unmatched and he left nearly two years of it on the table when he went off and played baseball. Go on over to Basketball-Reference and scroll down to the Advanced stats section and compare Jordan to James. James is an amazing player (imo, very secure in 2nd best ever; I have him over Wilt, Kareem, and Bill Russell), but Jordan’s run from 86-87 through 92-93 is insane. It’s better than any run in NBA history*.
He went away for nearly two years and then just came back and it was almost like he never left.
No disrespect to Lebron, because he has been so consistently great for so long, but I can’t put him over Jordan.
*for example, look at his 86-87 season. He had more than 8 (!) more ppg than any other player in the league. And he was also one of the best defenders in the league at the same time.
Like I said I don’t care to argue James over Jordan I think people choosing Jordan is fair.
I’d just note that your crediting Jordan for missing 2 and returning like he never left. I don’t see how that’s seen a positive thing to add to his legacy. Like wouldn’t it mean more if he played those two years and was higher in all time stats, won another ring or two and had some more all star and all nba team appearances.
Cause that’s exactly what LeBrons done, no 2 years away and is top 100 in all 6 major stats and now the all time highest point scorer. He actually gets criticism for load management and missing games, “Jordan never did that”. What do you mean he went away for 2 years….
I’d rather my goat miss a couple games a season than have him leave for a couple years and come back strong.
Either way two absolute greats
MJ is still the GOAT for me.
But I’d have no problems with anyone having Lebron as the GOAT …….. his pseudo-GM role-playing and Klutch shenanigans aside, just can’t deny Lebron’s on-court achievements, his longevity.
I don’t care for the guy personally, and to me he’s 3rd on the GOAT list behind Russell and Jordan. But this is still an incredible feat, considering the modern times of load management, players seldom (if ever) playing a full season and when you look at the players who could be a lot higher on the scoring list (Durant being an example). I say well done, LeBron.
If his GM abilities were half as good as his playing ability then he’d have 10 rings
Always nice to see LeBron take the L.
This is hilarious everybody thinks Lebron or Jordan are better players than Larry Bird, or Wilt Chamberlain.
Keep drinking the kool-aid, what else would a bunch of easily influenced, manipulated, and compromised children drink?
Bird or Wilt lol.
Wilt has 2 rings and played in a time when there was only 10 teams in the whole league. Of the two finals he was finals MVP once. Didn’t Bill Russell play in that same era and win the competition 11 times.
How can you be considered the greatest player of all time when in your era you hardly ever won.
If LeBron only had 2 rings two his name while Kd had 8 even with the stats I couldn’t say LeBron is the greatest of all time it would be ridiculous.
As for Bird I really love him and his work however I don’t have him that high.
For me …
James Jordan Kareem Magic Wilt Bird Kobe Bill Duncan Curry
In the future, when AI is telling the story they will go off of statistics, not feelings.
LeBaron, whether you love him, hate him, want to kiss him, or want to smack him, he’s a special kinda guy.
Mr. James…congratulations. I hope you take some time to enjoy the moment and be with your family. And you can know that numbers don’t make us who we are, but the relationships we build with the ones we love.
Smash the like button if u agree
Just beautiful. I’m wiping my tears with my tampon.
It is a heavy day
Why not talk about losing a very important game, oh, doesn’t matter at all.
James “lapped” Gail Goodrich last night. “Lapping” Jabbar would mean doubling his total plus one. The NBA’s greatest scorer his King James. He’s ahead of Jabbar, but he hasn’t lapped him.
congrats lebron. 200 games to go to catch the chief for most games played now.