LOS ANGELES — In an impressive display of skill, LeBron James has surpassed Michael Jordan’s record for 30-point games in NBA history during the Los Angeles Lakers’ triumph over Atlanta on Friday night. With just under six minutes remaining, James hit a turnaround jumper to secure his 30 points, marking the 563rd time he has reached at least 30 points during the regular season. This achievement eclipses the previous record held by Jordan, set back in 2003. While Jordan established his record in 1,072 games throughout 15 seasons, James accomplished this milestone in his 1,523rd game over a remarkable career spanning 22 seasons.
Expressing his emotions, James remarked, “It’s very humbling. Anytime I’m mentioned with any of the greats, and arguably the greatest ever to play the game, super-cool. It’s someone I idolized in my childhood, and I wear 23 because of him. To know that I can sit here and be in the room or in the conversation or whatever it is, you mention MJ, it’s like super-duper dope for me, being a kid where I’m from.”
Having recently celebrated his 40th birthday, James remains one of the few active players who witnessed Jordan’s prime supremacy with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, a time he closely studied and admired while growing up in Akron, Ohio. The emotional impact of surpassing Jordan on the NBA’s all-time scoring list in March 2019 brought James to tears; he labeled Jordan as “an inspiration” and credited him as the motivating force behind his own basketball journey.
Following their 119-102 victory against Atlanta, the Lakers acknowledged James’ remarkable achievement in their locker room. However, teammate Anthony Davis humorously added some perspective to the moment, commenting, “It bothers me. But it took him seven more seasons. … No, actually, growing up, I was more No. 1 LeBron. That was my era. So that’s obviously a hell of an accomplishment. I think he’s probably No. 1 in everything at this point.” He expressed gratitude for witnessing James’ numerous achievements and emphasized the team’s focus on continued success.
James’ last two baskets echoed Jordan’s trademark shot style and demonstrated his mastery of the technique. While youth coaches advised against his attempts to mimic Jordan’s style of shooting for balance reasons, James has refined this fadeaway into an effective offensive weapon throughout his career.
“(Jordan) was more of a left-shoulder fadeaway guy,” James explained. “I kind of go the opposite way. But just two masters of their craft putting in work and work and work to the point where it’s kind of become unguardable. It just works. It’s work and dedication.”
In a noteworthy coincidence, Friday also marked the day James surpassed Dirk Nowitzki for the fourth-most games played in regular season history, now sitting at 1,523. He holds the record for the most postseason games played, totaling 287 as of now. Showing no sign of aging in his remarkable 22nd season, James had scored 38 points against the Portland Trail Blazers just the night prior, tying Jordan’s 30-point game record.
James had an impressive shooting night, hitting seven three-pointers against the Trail Blazers, contributing to one of the highest scoring performances from any player over 40. Only three players have managed to score at least 30 points in a game after turning 40, with James already achieving this feat twice within just five days of entering his 40s.
“The fact that he’s done this speaks volumes about his greatness and longevity,” Lakers coach JJ Redick commented. “That stretch where he hit two fadeaways and a 3 gave us the cushion we needed and control of the game.” As the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, James continues to break longevity records, having scored at least 10 points in 1,253 consecutive games, far outpacing the previous record of 866 set by Jordan.
