Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is mere days away from becoming the NBA’s all-time leader in points. He is 89 points away from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record, which has stood for 39 years.
If LeBron sticks to his season average of 30 points per game, the record will be broken next Tuesday at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, his career average of 27 points per game would push him to break the record next Thursday on national television against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Though sports fans across the country are tuned in on LeBron’s scoring record, it isn’t as important for him right now. James addressed whether the scoring record is on his mind while playing, via NBA.com:
“Not at all. I didn’t get to this point of my career by thinking about, you know, records or how many points I have or whatever the case may be. I just play the game the right way. I approach the game every night on trying to be a triple threat by scoring, rebounding, assisting, you know, defending. And then may the chips fall where they may. I think maybe when I get close, super duper close maybe it will be in the back of my mind or in the front of my mind, but I don’t ever put that type of pressure on myself. I just go out and play.”
When Anthony Davis was out for nearly a month, LeBron’s scoring output exploded with three 40-point games. If you ask James though, he’ll likely tell you he was doing what he needed to win games, rather than putting pressure on himself to pass the record quickly.
The record though is fast approaching. This is the last full week since April 1984 that Abdul-Jabbar will have the most points in NBA history — a historical moment in the league’s 76-year history.
A moment of this magnitude is enough for any person to feel pressure or act differently. But LeBron isn’t like many people and the moment isn’t getting heavier for him:
No. It’s not getting heavier because I mean I’m going to do it. I mean it’s just a matter of time of when I’m going to do it. But, yeah. It’s not getting heavy. I’m not going anywhere I’m going to be in this league at least a few more years. Yeah, I’m going to do it so it’s not heavy at all.
James’ response made Davis lean forward and say “damn, that’s a tough answer,” as the two were on the podium. As the record comes closer to being broken, all eyes will be on the King.
LeBron passes Mark Jackson & Steve Nash for 4th All-Time in assists
A triple-double for James against the New York Knicks on Tuesday put him within 100 points of Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record. However, it also pushed him into fourth all-time in assists, passing Mark Jackson and Steve Nash.
LeBron is the first player ever to be in the top five for both assists and points.
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