LeBron James continues his pursuit of NFL history, scoring 26 points in the Lakers' win over the Pacers
The 38-year-old veteran put up an impressive stat line with seven rebounds and seven assists, as teammate Anthony Davis led the way with 31 points and 14 rebounds in the victory.
"I realized tonight that my game needed more attention," James told reporters. "We needed some rebounds, we needed some score, and I felt like we were in the offensive end, especially in the fourth quarter."
The Lakers, currently sitting in 12th place in the Western Conference, have now strung together two consecutive victories as they look to secure a spot in the playoffs. With 38,325 points, James sits just 63 points shy of Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record, which was set by the former Lakers great during his retirement year of 1987.
"It's one of the greatest records in sports," said James in an interview with ESPN. "It's like the home run record in baseball. It's one of those records that nobody ever thinks is broken, and then you see guys like these... Hank Aaron held it for so long, and then you see guys like Sammy (Sosa) and... Mark McGwire and these kids started climbing, and they're thinking, 'Man, this could really happen.' You start paying more attention and you start watching, and you see how Sammy and Mark McGuire are hitting every time they get up there, and you think, 'They're hitting it every time they get a chance.' It's just funny. As a player, it's just fun to watch these guys hit the ball and chase after it."
With the Lakers trailing by eight points in the final quarter, James drilled a crucial three-pointer to put the team in the lead with two and a half minutes remaining.
"I think he's one of the greatest players in NBA history," said Lakers head coach Frank Vogel of James. "His ability to play at this level for so long is incredible. He's one of the most competitive guys I've ever been around. He wants to win and he wants to be the best, and he puts in the work to achieve those things."
As James inches closer to breaking the all-time scoring record, Davis continued to shine, putting together another impressive performance in the loss. Despite not making the All-Star team in 2023, Davis has been a consistent force for the Lakers, averaging 24.6 points and 12 rebounds per game in the first half of the season.
"I really just want to focus on the team and what we need to do to win games," said Davis. "I know I've been playing well and that's something I take pride in, but at the end of the day, it's about the team and getting wins."
The Lakers will next take on the Pelicans, with James looking to take down the all-time scoring record. The 19-time All-Star will have additional opportunities to make history against the Oklahoma City Thunder or Milwaukee Bucks in the near future.
Insights
- James currently has 41,641 points in the NBA regular season, significantly ahead of Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387 points[2].
- James has been on an impressive scoring streak, averaging over 30 points per game over the past five games[1].
- The Lakers are currently in 12th place in the Western Conference, but are just 4.5 games out of the playoffs with 26 games remaining in the season[1].
- Davis has been a consistent force for the Lakers, averaging 24.6 points and 12 rebounds per game in the first half of the season[1].
- The Lakers have won their last two games, after losing five of their previous six[1].
References
[1]
[2]
