Thunder 133 vs 130 Lakers summary: stats and highlights | LeBron breaks the NBA’s all-time scoring record

LeBron James sits alone at the top of the NBA’s All-Time scoring list after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Tuesday night. The Oklahoma City Thunder won the game, but LeBron stole the show at the Crypto.com Arena with a record breaking 38 point performance.

History made in Los Angeles

After 20 years in the league, it all came down to Tuesday night. James went into the game needing 36 points to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s near 40 year long record.

Kareem was in the building, the James family was sitting courtside and the stars of the entertainment and the sports world were in attendance to witness history. Tickets at the Crypto.com Arena were going for more than Super Bowl tickets and the stadium was full as LeBron broke the All-Time scoring record.

The kid from Akron came out and dropped 20 points in the first half to make the possibility seem like reality. At the halftime break TNT, who had LeBron Mic’d up, caught a conversation with his kids Bronny and Brice discussing the possibilities of getting the 36 points and the record.

LeBron’s halftime pep talk

Eight points a quarter is what LeBron told his sons before heading back to the court, but he would only need 12 minutes. James came into the second half red hot, and hit two threes in the middle of the third quarter to bring the dream that much closer.

With under 20 seconds left in the third, LeBron got the ball at the free throw line, backed Kenrich Williams into the paint and hit at step back fade away on a shot that will be seen for the rest of time.

James surpassed Kareem’s 38,387 points and pandemonium spread throughout the arena in Los Angeles. Play stopped as LeBron was met by family, friends and teammates at half court before Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Adam Silver came out for a special “passing of the torch” ceremony.

The King still has more in the tank

LeBron thanked the fans, his family, and everyone who has supported him throughout his 20 year career while holding back tears while speaking to the crows at Crypto.com Arena.

Unfortunately for LeBron, the night was soured by a loss to the Thunder. After leading all game the Lakers had a run at the end of the third quarter into the start of the fourth quarter and drew the game level. Oklahoma City called a timeout after losing their lead, and then went on a 12-0 run to take control of the game once again and bury the Lakers.

The result of the game was secondary as lights, cameras and microphones were directed towards LeBron James at the end of the game. When asked about the plans for his future, he assured that he will be around for a few more years, and continue to add to his record as the NBA’s All-Time leading scorer.

After the game, LeBron ensured us that he's not done adding to this record. He'll be around for at least a couple more years according to the King himself.

Who better to have mic'd up then the man himself on his record breaking night?

LeBron has given us 20 years of memories, but tonight was special. It's not everyday we see memories made.

After the record was broken Kareem came onto the court during the ceremony to pass the torch to LeBron, who was holding back tears after hearing from the Laker legend.

LeBron had a halftime chat with his sons Brony and Brice after scoring 20 points in the first half. He was talking about getting 8 points a quarter, but he went out and got 16 and broke the record before the fourth quarter.

It's been a longtime coming. The 18 year old that came into the league as the next big thing lived up to the hype and then some. LeBron James is now the top scorer in NBA history.

The Kid from Akron has made history. After 20 years, four titles and countless milestons, LeBron James is the top scorer in the league's history.

LeBron has alway been the King, but now he is the King of the NBA scoring list.

This is the shot that will go down in history! LeBron James with a step back fade away over Kenrich Williams to become the NBA's All-Time leading scorer with 38,388 points. He needed 36, he got 38.

The whole James crew was in the building tonight to watch LeBron break the All-Time record.

And now to the NBA's new All-Time leading scorer. LeBron got started early knowing he needed 36 points to break Kareem Abdul Jabbar's record.

After LeBron broke the record at the end of the third quarter, the Lakers pulled back to evenbut the Thunder then broke off a 12-0 run to take back command of the game.

SGA finished the game with 30 points and 8 assist to lead the Thunder to victory.

Joe and the rest of the Thunder had 12 threes in the first half to pull out to a double digit lead.

Mike Muscala and the Thunder started red hot from downtown. The Big man was 4-4 from three point range out of the gate.

The Thunder won the game so I guess we'll put their highlights up too, but tonight' was about LeBron.

Beverley drills the final three of the game, and that will do it. The Thunder go into LA and get the win, but it's LeBron James who ends the night as the NBA's All-Time leading scorer.

Williams polishes this game off with a dunk.

Westbrook with a drive and finish at the rack.

J. Williams fouled quickly by Beverely and he hits both FTs.

WEstbrook on the drive and he gets fouled by K. Wiliams and he hits both FTs.

Westbrook at the line and he hits one of two.

Westbrook with the lay up and we are under a minute to go in LA. TO OKC with 50.1 left in the fourth quarter.

Westbrook o the lay up after the dump off from Beverley.

LeBron with a lay up and thats his first bucket after setting the record!

J. Willams on the driving lay up and this game might be out of reach for LA.

Davis with the mid range jumper, but he came on way too little and way too late.

Willimas and Giddey with back to back buckets after the timeout!

Westbrook gets the rebound under his basket and goes coast to coast for the lay up and OKC want a TO with 3:56 to go in the game.

There are unde 5 minutes to go in LA!

SGA with the pull up from the top of the key!!

Schroder on the quick spin and the lay up!

Wiggins slicing right down main street for the finger roll.

Hachimura with a wide open three ball and the Lakers needed that!

Hachimura at the line and he hits one out of two FTs.

Giddey with a floater as the shot clock hit 0 and it's a 12-0 run after the Lakers tied the game up.

OUt of the timeout, Joe hits another three ball and the Thunder are on a 10-0 run.

Jalen Williams and Jalen Williams with back to back buckets and the Thunder go on a 7-0 run after the game was tied up.

Joe fires a three ball to put OKC back in the lead!!!

Hachimura on the baseline drive and he ties this game up!

Westbrook drills the three ball and the Lakers are within 2!!!

Hachimura gets the offensive board and gets the mid range jumper to go.

Williams gets the long two with a foot on the line.

Here it is.. The history making shot, and the shot we will see for the rest of our lives!

WE ARE HEADING TO THE FOURTH QUARTER!!!

The NBA's new All Time leading scorer has 12 minutes to comeback on the Thunder in Los Angeles.

38,388. That's the number. Catch him if you can.

It will be a long time, if ever that this record was broken. Remember where you were for this moment, because milestones like this don't come around that often.

LeBron is at mid court with Adam Silver and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holding back the tears as the crowd chants MVP!!!

Take a bow, you are the NBA's leading scorer.

Play has stopped, and the James family is on the court to congratulate LeBron, the new top scorer in NBA history!!!

LEBRON JAMES IS THE NBA'S ALL TIME LEADING SCORER!!!

HE HIT A FADE AWAY FROM THE ELBOW AND THAT SHOT WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR EVER!!!

SGA is fouled by Davis and gets both FTs.

James in tranisiton and he gets the pass from Walker in stride for the fast break lay up! LeBron will be the NBA's All Time leading scorer with his next basket!!!

The Lakers have made a comeback here and trail by 6 with under a minute to go in the third quarter.

Davis gets the alley oop after the Westbrook assist.

Muscula drops the mid range jumper.

James with the alley oop lay up on the pick and roll and he is FOUR POINTS AWAY FROM BREAKING THE RECORD!!!

Westbrook gets to the bucket with a strong drive and gets the lay up.

Joe with back to back three balls!

Brown drops the three ball from the left side!

Brown gets the lay up on the drive from the right side.

SGA wiggles his way to the bucket and gets the finger roll.

LA goes zone out of the TO, and Joe sticks the triple!

Bryant on the follow up after the LeBron miss and OKC want a timeout with 4:31 to go in the third quarter.

Westbrook with the steal and he dumps it off for LeBron for the lay up in transition! He's six away from breaking the ALL TIME RECORD!!!

SGA with a step back jumper out of the timeout and the Thunder lead by 12 again.

Giddey following his own shot and gets the tip in under the basket!

Hachimura with a pull up jumper.

Williams and Giddey with back to back buckets to stretch the lead back out to 10.

HE DID IT AGAIN!!!!  THREE BALL FROM LEBRON AND HE'S 8 AWAY FROM BREAKING THE RECORD!!!

THREE BALL FROM LEBRON AND HE IS NOW 11 POINTS AWAY FROM THE RECORD!!!

Give and go from Williams to Giddey and it leads to a jame from Williams.

Williams got fouled on the drive and gets fouled by Schroder. Both FTs are goo and the Thunder lead by 12 again.

James fouled in transition by SGA, and LeBron hits both FTs to bring him to within 14 of breaking the all time record!

Schroder connects on the mid range jumper from the elbow.

Giddey with the lay up of the J. Willams assist.

Davis gets the floater in the lane to go. He was quiet in the first half they need him for the comeback win tonight.

SGA starts the half with a mid range jumper off the dribble. He's got 21 on the night.

WE ARE BACK IN PLAY FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION FROM LA!!!

LeBRon is 16 points away from history.

The Thunder were red hot from downtown in the first half. Can they keep that up in the final 30 minutes?

Muscala hit his first 4 threes and ended the half with 14 points.

SGA has 19 points to lead the Thunder at halftime.

LeBron has 20 points through the first half but the Lakers trail by 10. It would be bittersweet to break the all time record in a game that you lose. LeBRon is trying to prevent that tonight.

The Thunder scored 40 points in that second half as four OKC players have double digits.

LeBron had 8 points in the first quarter and 12 in the second quarter. He has just 16 left to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record. Kareem is in the building in case LeBron breaks the record tongiht.

WE ARE AT HALFTIME HERE FROM LA AND THE THUNDER LEAD BY 10!

LEBRON IS JUST 16 POINTS FROM KAREEM, BUT THE LAKERS HAVE WORK TO DO IN THE SECOND HALF.

Schroder with a strong drive and SGA fouls sending the German to the line where he hits both.

Williams with a fade away mid range jumper after the SGA assist, and Jalen Williams has 15, 12 points this quarter.

SGA at the line after the clock has been fixed and he hits two of two.

We have a timeout from LA as the shot clocks are malfunctioning. LeBron is getting set to come in out of the break with a minute left in the half, and he is 16 points away from breaking the All-Time scoring record!

Davis with an easy bucket and then Schroder with a dash to the rack for a lay up and the Lakers are on a little 7-0 run.

Westbrook with a three ball and the Lakers desperatley needed that!!!

Giddey adds to the lead with a short jumper.

Williams taking advantage of some slack Laker defense and he gets an easy lay up.

Schroder slashing down the paint and gets the lay up.

SGA backing down Westbrook and he hits the turnaround off the glass.

Backdoor feed from Williams to Giddey and the Thunder are on a 14-2 run.

SGA on the step back from the top of the key and he's got 15 first half points.

LA needs a timeout down nine with 4:31 left in the half.

J. Williams driving to the dish and he gets the lay up.

Beverly fouled by Joe and he hits one of two FTs.

Joe on the pull up three ball and that's the 12th three ball of the first half!!!

Davis fouled by Muscala and he hits one of two FTs.

Muscala left wide open for the three ball and he's got 4 three and 14 points on the night!

Muscala with a lay up after the Joe assist.

LeBron in tranistion and he is fouled by SGA. He hits both FTs and he is 16 points away!!!

He's already got 20 on the night!

James is fouled by K. Williams and he hits one of two.

Bryant gets the jam ooff the Reaves dish.

Giddey with back-to-back buckets close to the iron.

JAMES WITH A THREE BALL AND HE'S 19 POINTS AWAY FROM KAREEM!!! HE'S GOT 17 POINTS ALREADY TONIGHT.

Giddey gets to the bucket and the Thunder are on a 10-0 run!.

J. Williams with a triple off the asssit from Jaylin Wiliams.

J. Williams fouled by LeBron and he hits both FTs to tie the game back up. That's foul two on James.

J.Williams comes out of the timeout with a three ball off the assist from K. Williams.

Westbrook strips Giddey and goes coast to coast for the slam and the Thunder need a timeout with 10:05 to go in the half.

LeBron gets the bucket and gets fouled again!!! FT is good and he's now 22 points away from history!!!

Williams with a three ball to even up the game again!

LeBron driving to the rack on the break and he hits the bucket and gets fouled. FT is good and he's 25 away from the record!

Walker starts the second quarter with a three ball for the Lakers.

LeBron nips at K. Williams on the jumper and he hits one of two from the line.

Brown with another lay up on the reverse and that will bring us to the end of the quarter.

LeBron scored 8 points in 8 minutes and is 28 points away from history.

Wiggins in the corner on the dish from SGA and the Thunder have started the game 7-11 from downtown.

Brown hanging in the lane and finishes with the finger roll.

SGA back to the line and he hits both. He's got 13 first quarter point, and quite a few have come from the line.

SGA gets the roll on the pull up from the baseline and he's got 11 points already

Westbrook punches back with a three ball!

Muscala with another triple, and that's his third of the night! He's 3/3!

Walker with the jumper off the the inbound after the Westbrook assist.

SGA fouled again, and he takes another trip to the line and hits both FTs after the Brown foul.

SGA gets fouled again and he hits one of two after the foul on Reeves.

Walker answers back with a triple and things are starting to heat up in LA.

Muscala in the corner for another triple!!!

Westbrook on the catch and shoot triple off the Walker assist, and Westbrook is on the board first.

SGA gets to the line after a foul on Davis and he hits both to give the Thunder the lead.

Muscala drills the three call to pull within a point of the Lakers.

James with the steal and goes coast to coast for the lay up and he's now 28 points away from history.

With LeBron down on the other end of the floor Giddey hits the mid range bucket and the Lakers take a TO with 5:24 to go in the first quarter to check on LeBron.

Pick and roll to LeBron from Westbrook and he finished with the bucket, but he took a shot to the face and stays down.

LeBron going to the line after the timeout and he hits one of two from the stripe.

SGA back to the iron and he gets the close range efford to go, and the Lakers take a timeout with 6:38 to go in the first

LEBRON IS ON THE BOARD WITH A PULL UP THREE BALL AND THE CRYPTO.COM ARENA LIGHTS UP!!!

SGA with a quick move on the baseline for an explosive slam!

LeBron in transition and hits Davis in stride for the easy lay up in tranistion.

Hachimura fouled by SGA and goes to the line to hit both FTs.

Wililams drops another three ball and all 9 Thunder points have come from behind the arc.

Great ball work down in the paint which leads to Hachimura's wide open dunk.

Willams drops the three ball and the Thunder are starting off hot from deep.

Beverley drops a triple and the Lakers take the lead back, but LeBron is still scoreless.

Wiliams opens the OKC account from downtown!!!

James going right to the rack and Davis gets the follow up tip in.

WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM CRYPTO.COM ARENA!!!

LeBron James is 36 points away from history... Here we go.

Thunder's starting 5

Gilgeous-Alexander headlines the Thunder 5 looking not to be on the wrong side of history tonight in LA.

Darvin Ham's 5

No surprise LeBron is in the starting 5 for the Lakers. He's joined by Anthony Davis, Pat Bev, Dennis Schroder and Rui Hachimura

LeBron left stunned by Irving trade

It’s been a last couple seasons for LeBron and the Lakers, and it looked like they were finally going to get a bit of a boost during the trade deadline. Rumors were swirling around LA of the possibility of a reunion of LeBron and Kyrie Irving after winning a title together in Cleveland back in 2016. It seemed like the chips were falling into place, but the Mavericks beat the Lakers to the punch and LeBron was devastated. Right after the trade between Brooklyn and Dallas, the King went to Twitter, reflecting: Maybe It’s Me

All-Time scoring list

We all know that LeBron and Kareem will be forever tied to each other once James finally does pass Abdul-Jabbar on the scoring list, but lets take a look down the list at the Top 10:

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 38,387
2. LeBRON JAMES, 38,352
3. Karl Malone, 36,928
4. Kobe Bryant, 33,643
5. Michael Jordan, 32,292
6. Dirk Nowitzki, 31,560
7. Wilt Chamberlain, 31,419
8. Shaquille O'Neal, 28,596
9. Carmelo Anthony, 28,289
10. Moses Malone, 27,409

The closest active player to Kareem and Lebron at the moment is Kevin Durant, sitting at 14th on the list with 26,684. James Harden has 24,223 points and Russell Westbrook has 24,098 points, sitting just outside the Top 25.

Kareem's path

Records like these don’t just happen over night. LeBron has been playing night in and night out since 2003. That’s two decades of wear and tear on his body, mind and personal life, but to be the best you have to put up with the ups and the downs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did that when he was on the summit of the league just like LeBron has. Like LeBron, Kareem was in the league for 20 years, but it’ has taken LeBron just 1,409 games to get to within 35 points of the All-Time record. It took Kareem 1,560 games before he finally called it quits on a historic career in which he averaged 24.6 points per game. LeBron has averaged 27.2 ppg over the course of his two decade career.

Where we stand tonight

Taking a look at the All-Time Scoring list, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has held on to the record since breaking Wilt Chamberlains previous mark of 31,419 points all the way back in 1984. He went on to score almost seven thousand more points through the rest of his career and it seemed like that record may never be broken until the kid from Akron swept the NBA off it’s feet even before the Cavaliers drafted him with the number one pick in the 2003 Draft. After two decades, three team changes and four NBA Titles LeBron sits at 38,352 points, which is 35 behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 points.

The King has entered the building

Nothing ever changes. From Day 1 in the league all eyes were on LeBron James, and here we are almost 20 years later and is is still the biggest ticket in the NBA, no matter how bad the Lakers might be. Tonight he is 36 points away from making history, and you wouldn’t put it past him. At 38 years old, he is averaging a cool 30 points a game this season and has put up more than 36 points in three of his last 10 games. Will he make history tonight?

Thunder in the area

Oklahoma City and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can play spoiler tonight at the Crypto.com Arena. The Thunder may be floating under the radar, but their All-Star is one of the top scorers in the league at 30.8 a night, he is tied with Damian Lillard for 5th in the league. Tonight the priority will be a win, but no team wants to be on the wrong end of history and their second priority should be keeping LeBron contained.

Thunder's last game

There was absolutely no stopping Klay Thompson or the Golden State Warriors in the Bay Area last night. With Steph Curry recently sidelined with a leg injury, Thompson took it upon himself to carry the Warriors at the Chase Center. The GS sharp shooter hit 12 threes, coming up just two shy of the all time record he set back in 2018. Steve Kerr’s team shot 52% from downtown, hitting 26 of 50 three balls and had 43 assists in the 141-114 blowout of the Thunder.

Lakers last game

The Lakers dropped to four games under .500 with a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans to wrap up a five game East Coast Swing. LA went 2-3 on the road trip, finishing it off with a 131 - 126 loss in New Orleans. The game was tight all the way through and the Lakers lead for three quarters, but a surge from the Pelicans in the final 12 minutes, led by Brandon Ingram’s 35 points.

We are live from Crypto Arena

Hello everyone and welcome Los Angeles! It’s not every night we get to witness history, but tonight could be one of those nights as LeBron James goes for the All-Time Scoring record in the NBA, and who could think of a more fitting place to do it? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar cemented his legacy in LA, and now LeBron has a chance to break his record in a place Kareem used to call home. LeBron is 36 points away from taking sole possession of the All-Time Scoring record, but the Thunder will be look rain on LeBron’s parade and extend the record watch until next game.

Thunder vs. Lakers

History could be made tonight in LA as LeBron James eyes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s All Time Scoring Record. The King has a chance to take over the top spot on the list tonight when the Lakers take on the Oklahoma City Thunder and AS English will be with you all night with live coverage, stats, scores and highlights of tonight’s potentially record breaking night from Crypto.com Arena.