Skip Bayless isn’t convinced on GOAT status for LeBron James’ after recent freak performance: “It’s against the lowly Rockets”
LeBron James recently erupted for an astonishing 48 points in the LA Lakers' 140-132 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday night. The performance moved James one step closer to the all-time regular-season scoring record set by Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The win snapped a three-game skid that nullified the Lakers' surge to start the month. Currently in his 20th season in the league, James has continued to show that he's capable of turning back the clock. Prior to the end of 2022, James celebrated his 38th birthday by putting on an absolute masterclass against the Atlanta Hawks, scoring 47 points.
While the NBA community has continued to praise James for his recent performances, analyst Skip Bayless has a different take. He believes that LeBron James' 48-point outing against the Houston Rockets is the first time he's closed a game in years. He spoke to Shannon Sharpe on Fox Sports 1's "Undisputed" on Tuesday morning:
"I did love for the most part, what I saw. The first thing I didn't like, there’s a big asterisk on this game because it’s against the lowly Rockets. Would you believe the Houston Rockets have the worst record in the NBA. You have the worst team in the NBA at home, shouldn't you win that game by 20?
"They are 10 and 34, they have lost 34 out of 44 games and they took you to the wire. And I will give you this, LeBron finally closed a game and it was seriously it might have been the first game I've seen him close in about two years."
You can see his comments in the video above with Bayless' comments beginning at the 2 minute mark.
LeBron James' quest to reach Karem Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record
It's no secret that LeBron James is on a mission to cross Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record. With just 319 points to go, it seems to be a matter of when and not if he breaks the record. Although he has sat out a handful of games this season with lingering injuries and non-covid related illnesses, when he does play, he is a man on a mission.
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With James moving ever closer to a record that many considered to be nearly unbreakable, his recent surge in play has propelled him even closer to the record. Currently, projections have James breaking the record on Feb. 9 when the Lakers take on the Milwaukee Bucks.
If James winds up sitting for several games between now and then, he could break the record later that week. Considering how historic the moment will be, it's no secret that the four-time champion would like to make history at the Crypto.com arena in LA.
Whether or not that has any impact on his playing time going forward, only time will tell.
Here are some recent highlights from LeBron James' 48 point game above.
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