LeBron's monster game passes NBA all-time scorer's record
LeBron James lit up Staples Center, doing everything for the Los Angeles Lakers in their 126-117 win over the Portland Trailblazers.
It was a historic night for James as he passed Wilt Chamberlain for fifth on the all-time NBA scoring list midway through the fourth quarter with 39 points.
James now sits 867 points behind Michael Jordan for fourth and 2,218 points behind Lakers legend Kobe Bryant who is in third.
Lakers' LeBron James has passed Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain as the No. 5 all-time scorer in NBA history.
1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 38,387
2 Karl Malone: 36,928
3 Kobe Bryant: 33,643
4 Michael Jordan: 32,292
5 LEBRON JAMES: 31,420 & counting
6 Wilt Chamberlain: 31,419 pic.twitter.com/fWny1R29S7— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) November 15, 2018
“When I’m able to do what I love to do, do it at this level, even being mentioned with the greats who have played this game – it just always brings me back to my home town of Akron,” James told ESPN after the game.
“And knowing where I’ve come from, knowing how hard it was to get to this point, it’s just never being in satisfied mode.”
James finished the game with 44 points – the first Lakers player to do so since D’Angelo Russell in 2017 – and nearly had a triple double on the night with nine assists and 10 rebounds.
The forward started off hot from beyond the arc, making his first five three-pointers in-a-row early on.
But it was in the third quarter when James really took over.
He had 16 of the team’s 38 points to help the Lakers build on their halftime lead. They extended their lead from four to eight heading into the last 12 minutes.
LeBron James tallies 16 PTS in the 3rd Q at Staples Center! #LakeShow @ESPNNBA pic.twitter.com/XmmVg4F0Q1
— NBA (@NBA) November 15, 2018
James would sit out the beginning of the fourth before re-entering with seven minutes left. He took a hard foul to the head a few minutes later, but even that couldn’t stop him from grabbing his moment.
He made all eight of his fourth quarter free throws, including the two from the flagrant foul on Portland’s CJ McCollum. With under four minutes in the game, James tied, and then passed, Chamberlain after making an and-1 basket and the following free throw.
“I give it all to the man above for giving me these God-given abilities,” James added.
“I’m taking full advantage of them. And then my coaching staff and my teammates throughout these 16 years so far that’s gotten me to this point.”
LeBron James gets a standing ovation from the Staples Center crowd after his best game as a Laker so far. James dominated the Blazers with 44 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. He drilled 5-of-6 3-pointers with his only miss coming after a Blazer got… https://t.co/N7gjYwdEFf
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) November 15, 2018
The crowd appreciated his effort and the history that was made, giving James a standing ovation as the game ended.
with Yahoo Sports US.