"Keep climbing!" - Carmelo Anthony's message to LeBron James after becoming youngest player to reach 36,000 career points
Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James entered the league at the same time in 2003 and now they are teammates with the LA Lakers. Both players are also in the top 10 all-time scoring list, with James ranked third behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.
In a 132-123 win over the Houston Rockets, LeBron became the third player in NBA history to reach 36,000 points. He's also the youngest player to reach that milestone. Anthony sent a message to James on Twitter, urging one of his best friends to "Keep climbing!" the NBA's all-time scoring list.
Keep climbing!🍷🍷🍷 twitter.com/SportsCenter/s…
After scoring 32 points in the LA Lakers victory against the Rockets, LeBron James now has a total of 36,001 points in his career. He needs just 928 points to overtake Malone for second place.
LeBron is averaging 27.6 points per game and if he keeps it up for the rest of the season and avoids any serious injuries, he will surpass Malone at some point in March 2022. James then has at least two seasons to beat Kareem's record and become the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony is currently 9th on the all-time scoring list with 27,844 points. He's just 753 points away from moving past Shaquille O'Neal. Anthony is averaging 13.5 points per game this season. While it's possible that Melo can do it this year, it's more likely to happen next season.
Congratulations to LeBron James (@KingJames) of the @Lakers on becoming the third player in NBA history to eclipse 36,000 points scored 👑 https://t.co/6OdM7Vk5dG
LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony help LA Lakers end five-game losing streak
The LA Lakers finally got back into the win column on Tuesday night when they defeated the Houston Rockets. LeBron James led the way for the Lakers with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. It was his 102nd career triple-double and third of the season.
Carmelo Anthony came up big off the bench with 24 points and nine rebounds. Malik Monk added 25 points as a starter, while Russell Westbrook also had a triple-double with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
Fantastic Four #LakersWin https://t.co/yScwzt1kPv
The Rockets kept it close until the final two minutes of the game. They were in it in the fourth quarter, almost tying or taking the lead against the Lakers. Jalen Green had 24 points to lead the team, while Kevin Porter Jr. looked sharp in his return with 22 points, five rebounds and nine assists.
With that win, LeBron James and the LA Lakers improved their record to 17-18 and good for seventh in the Western Conference standings. However, things will only get tougher for the Lakers.
Anthony Davis is out until at least the end of January and some teammates are still in health and safety protocols. With the current coronavirus outbreak in the NBA, even more players could end up being unavailable. It will be extremely hard for the Lakers as they will have the toughest remaining schedule. But with LeBron James, despite turning 37 years old in a couple of days, anything is possible.