NBA
LeBron James scores 46 as Lakers star sprints towards all-time NBA record
The scoring record of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has stood for decades, but there’s someone in LA who’s on the verge of taking it.
LeBron James recently made NBA history against the Philadelphia 76er by becoming only the second player in history to score over 38,000 career points. And ever since, the LA Lakers superstar has had his sights set on the all-time record for regular season points of 38,387 held by another legend of the game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
LeBron’s career-high triples not enough
On Tuesday, James took another massive step towards that total by hitting 46 points against the LA Clippers but despite it being a useful tally for his personal goals, it wasn’t enough for the win, as the Lakers went down 133-115. The Clippers have now won 10 straight against the Lakers and are 36-9 in recent seasons. The win moves the Clippers up to fifth spot in the west with a 26-24 record, while the Lakers are 22-26 and 13th in the west.
Top scorer for the victorious Clippers was Paul George, who made 19 three-pointers at 50 per cent as a team, leading the way with 27 points on 11-of-20 shooting while adding nine rebounds and four assists. Kawhi Leonard chipped in 25 points with nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks as the Clippers found form with a third straight win, and they could receive further reinforcements soon as Luke Kennard (calf) and John Wall (abdominal strain) close in on returns.
How close if LeBron to Abdul-Jabbar record?
Back to James, though, who was exceptional for the Lakers, shooting 16-of-29 from the field with nine-of-14 triples, along with eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block. He actually appeared set for a 50-point game, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter, before the Clippers put the game to bed on an 8-0 run and send James to the bench for good with five minutes remaining.
The four-time NBA MVP’s 46-point haul moves him to within 177 of tying that Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record. If he knocks up an average of 35 points in his coming games, he should be there in five. His upcoming games are against the Spurs, Celtics Nets, Knicks and then the Pacers on 2 February. After that he has the Pelicans, Thunder, Bucks and Warriors by 11 February.
Barring serious injury, that record is gone!