LeBron James has overtaken Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
The 38-year-old scored 38 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder to take his regular season tally to 38,390 — three more than Abdul-Jabbar’s total.
James – who already has the most post-season points (7,631) – broke the record with a step-back jump shot at the end of the third quarter, leading to an on-field ceremony.
Abdul-Jabbar had been leading the way since April 5, 1984, when he surpassed the target previously held by Wilt Chamberlain.
Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at James’ extraordinary record.
Always great
James has revised Abdul-Jabbar’s point total by playing 150 fewer games (1,410 compared to 1,560), averaging 27.2 points per game compared to his predecessor’s 24.6.
Only four players in NBA history have scored their points faster: Michael Jordan (30.1), Chamberlain (30.1), Elgin Baylor (27.4) and Kevin Durant (27.3).
Selected first in the 2003 draft, James made his NBA debut as an 18-year-old for his home state franchise the Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming the youngest player to reach 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 points.
Most of his runs were scored in two stints with the Cavaliers (23,119), the rest split between spells with the Miami Heat (7,919) and the Lakers (7,352).
Better than ever
James is now 38 years old and playing in his 20th season. He certainly looks set to become the first player to reach 40,000 points.
The four-time NBA champion seems to be improving as he ages, with his point-per-game average rising to an all-time high of 33.9 since he was 38.
Following his 38-point final haul against the Thunder, James has scored at least 20 points in 36 consecutive games – the third-longest streak of his career.
He signed a contract extension earlier in August to stay with the Lakers through the end of the 2023/24 season, with the option to extend for another year.
reign supreme
James has dominated all of his opponents during his 20-year career.
He recently became the first player to score 40 points in a single game against all 30 franchises, completing the clean sweep with a 46-point haul — including a personal best nine three-point field goals — against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 24.
He is also one of only two players – besides teammate Russell Westbrook – to make a triple-double against each team.
A player records a triple-double by posting a two-digit total in three of the five statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, and shots blocked).
Since his debut in 2003, James has played a minimum of 30 regular season games against every franchise except the Cavaliers, against whom he made 20 appearances.
His highest average points per game is against the Boston Celtics (29.1), while his lowest is against the Detroit Pistons (24.1).
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Boston Celtics – 58 games; 1,685 points; 29.1 points per game
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Cleveland Cavaliers-20; 580; 29
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Portland Trail Blazers – 40; 1,155; 28.9
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Milwaukee Bucks – 61; 1,751; 28.7
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Chicago bulls – 60; 1,709; 28.5
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Oklahoma City Thunder – 35; 994; 28.4
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Charlotte Hornets – 54; 1,533; 28.4
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Utah Jazz-37; 1,043; 28.2
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Miami heat – 43; 1,206; 28
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San Antonio Spurs – 41; 1,145; 27.9
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Golden State Warriors – 37; 1,024; 27.7
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Brooklyn Nets – 59; 1,632; 27.7
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Los Angeles Lakers – 30; 829; 27.6
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Atlanta Hawks – 62; 1,707; 27.5
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Philadelphia 76ers–54; 1,486; 27.5
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Washington wizards – 56; 1,530; 27.3
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Indiana pacers – 64; 1,743; 27.2
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Phoenix Suns – 39; 1,061; 27.2
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Toronto Raptors – 58; 1,577; 27.2
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Dallas Mavericks – 39; 1,058; 27.1
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New Orleans Pelicans – 45; 1,217; 27
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Sacramento Kings – 38; 1,017; 26.8
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New York Knicks – 57; 1,517; 26.6
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Denver Nuggets – 40; 1,056; 26.4
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Minnesota Timberwolves – 39; 1,018; 26.1
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Houston Missiles – 39; 1,006; 25.8
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Orlando Magic – 60; 1,537; 25.6
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Memphis Grizzly Bears – 43; 1,094; 25.4
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Los Angeles clippers – 41; 1,009; 24.6
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Detroit pistons – 61; 1,471; 24.1