LeBron James’ bada** reply to being asked if he’ll cry if he breaks NBA scoring record: “I didn’t even try to do it”
LeBron James will make unprecedented history this season as he moves closer to breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record.
After last night's game, James stands 795 points short of 38,387, Abdul-Jabbar's career points in the NBA. The LA Lakers are 27 games in, so with 55 games to go, James can break the record if he averages at least 14.4 points over these 55 games.
If James continues at his current pace of 26.5 points per game, he will reach the 38,387 mark in 30 games. This will approximately be in early February.
During Sunday's game against the Detroit Pistons, a fan sitting close by the court asked LeBron James whether or not he would cry if he broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record:
"I'll cry if we win a championship, not for a scoring record. I don't even try to do it."
“I’ll cry if we win a championship. Not for a scoring record. I didn’t even try to break it”
- LeBron James
🔥🐐
https://t.co/Fp6kYmJxLq
Abdul-Jabbar's record has stood for 33 years since he retired at the age of 42 in 1989.
If LeBron plays until he is 42 (which would mean five more NBA seasons), even if he scores 1,000 points each season, which is 506 points less than his five-year average (1,506) between 2018-19 and 2021-22, James would finish his career somewhere around the 44,000 mark.
On the list of the NBA's active leaders in career points, barring Carmelo Anthony, who is currently an unrestricted free agent, Kevin Durant is the next closest player with 26,366 career points.
Furthermore, if Durant, too, plays for five more years, he would have to average more than 3,500 points each season to touch James' 44,000 mark. The last time someone scored more than 3500 points in a season was Wilt Chamberlain, more than 60 years ago.
This should put into perspective just how historic and statistically outlandish LeBron James' feat will be.
Lakers drop second overtime game as LeBron James and Anthony Davis combine for 70 points
The LA Lakers dropped their second game in overtime this season after the Boston Celtics crawled out of a 13-point hole in the fourth-quarter and sent the game into overtime. The Celtics outscored LAL 12-8 in OT, and won the game 122-118.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis scored 33 and 37 points, respectively, and combined for just two points in overtime. Russell Westbrook scored six of LA's eight points in OT and had a 20-point, 14-rebound double-double in the game.
Jayson Tatum scored 44 points, his second-highest scoring performance this season. Jaylen Brown tallied a 25-point, 15-rebound double-double in the win.