Getting into the top-20 of the NBA’s all-time scoring list is a true accomplishment that can not be questioned or denied. On Tuesday night, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony leaped into that group, surpassing Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West to do so.
Early on in the Thunder’s game against the Houston Rockets, Anthony hit a 3-pointer that put him ahead of West. Anthony would finish with 23 points in the game, but the Thunder fell to the Rockets.
Nonetheless, Anthony moving up the scoring list is further proof that he is one of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen, despite his lack of an NBA championship. This is the first season in this 15-year career where he isn’t averaging at least 20 points, a truly remarkable sign of consistency.
Not that this does anything to hurt the legacy of West who remains the logo of the NBA for a reason. Had West been around with a 3-point line, his numbers would be even higher so the fact that he scored as much as he did without it shows how amazing he was during his time.
Anthony will be moving up the list soon once again as he is just 69 points behind Reggie Miller for 19th overall, and with a good run could potentially surpass Alex English for the 18th spot.
West on the other hand should be safe for the rest of the year as the next closest active player is Vince Carter, who is too far to pass him this season. But the likes of Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant are lurking and could move West down a little further over the next couple of seasons.
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