LeBron James made historical past by turning into the primary participant in NBA historical past to attain 50,000 mixed factors, serving to the Los Angeles Lakers safe a 136-115 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 40-year-old reached this milestone early within the first quarter when he obtained a cross from Luka Doncic and nailed a superb 25-foot three-pointer. James completed the sport with 34 factors, taking his profession complete to 50,033. He’s now 6,000 factors forward of the second-placed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
James’ spectacular complete consists of a report 41,871 common season factors, plus 8,162 factors from the postseason, the place he’s additionally the all-time main scorer.
“I’m not going to sugar-coat it – it’s a hell of a whole lot of factors,” James mentioned. “I’m tremendous blessed to have the ability to put up that many factors in my profession in the most effective league on the earth and towards the most effective gamers on the earth – it’s fairly particular.”
This achievement got here in James’ twenty second season within the NBA, tying him with Vince Carter for probably the most seasons performed in league historical past. He was supported by Doncic, who contributed 30 factors, 15 assists, and eight rebounds, because the Lakers prolonged their profitable streak to seven video games and moved as much as second place within the Western Convention standings.
Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson led the tributes to James on social media, writing: “Congratulations to the King LeBron James for turning into the one participant in NBA historical past to attain 50,000 common season and playoff factors!”
Earlier within the day, James was additionally named the NBA’s Western Convention Participant of the Month, after averaging 29.3 factors, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. This made him the oldest participant to ever earn the award.
