LeBron James continues to amaze basketball fans with his incredible longevity on the court. At 40 years old, he has now achieved a milestone no player has reached before: over 50,000 combined points in both the regular season and playoffs. He hit this impressive mark with a 3-pointer during the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 136-115 victory against the New Orleans Pelicans.
LeBron scored 34 points that night, and his achievement left him reflecting on his journey. “That’s a lot of points,” he noted. “I think about where I started, picking up the game as a kid and dreaming of playing at the highest level. It’s an honor to see how far I’ve come.”
James already holds the record for being the top scorer in both the regular season and postseason. In his 22nd season, he’s still playing at a remarkable level, far ahead of other greats. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played 20 seasons, is way behind with 44,149 total points.
LeBron’s record-breaking 3-pointer came thanks to Luka Doncic’s assist. The recent trade that brought Doncic to the Lakers has energized both the team and LeBron, who have been on a roll, winning seven in a row and 17 of their last 20 games.
As the Lakers took a timeout, the crowd celebrated LeBron’s achievement, and he acknowledged their cheers with waves from the bench. James is now tied for the most seasons played in NBA history with Vince Carter. Yet, while many players slow down in their late 30s, LeBron shows no signs of fading.
Earlier that day, he was named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Month. He averaged 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists throughout February, leading the Lakers to a 9-2 record, boosting their position in the West.
With the win against New Orleans, the Lakers improved to 11-2 since acquiring Doncic. LeBron has participated in 1,548 regular-season games, putting him just behind Robert Parish and Abdul-Jabbar. If he chooses to play another season, he will likely surpass Parish next year.
In addition to regular-season games, LeBron holds the record for the most playoff games played, with 287. He became the all-time playoff scoring leader in 2017, surpassing Michael Jordan’s previous record. Furthermore, he broke the regular-season scoring record in February 2023, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar.
LeBron’s success is rooted in his consistency. With his performance against the Pelicans, he has scored at least 10 points in 1,278 consecutive games since January 2007, a record no one else has come close to. His recent Player of the Month award was his 41st, extending his own league record and making him the oldest player to win this honor.
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Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, NBA Playoffs, New Orleans Pelicans, Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, General news, NBA, AP Top News, CA State Wire, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, U.S. news, Sports, Robert Parish, NBA basketball, Lawrence Tanter, Karl Malone, U.S. News