LOS ANGELES — LeBron James is on the brink of NBA history as he is poised to become the first player to amass 50,000 points combining regular season and playoff performances. If James takes the court on Tuesday night, he needs just a single point to secure this unprecedented milestone during the Los Angeles Lakers’ match-up against the New Orleans Pelicans.
On Sunday, James nearly reached this mark, accumulating 49,999 points after contributing 17 points during the Lakers’ 108-102 victory over the Clippers. This win was the team’s sixth in a row. At 40 years old, James has already established himself as the all-time leading scorer in both the NBA’s regular season and playoffs, redefining the parameters of basketball endurance throughout his illustrious career.
Entering his 22nd season, James matches Vince Carter for the most seasons played in NBA history. With this looming achievement, he is on the verge of an extraordinary career tally that positions him ahead of basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar, who played 20 seasons, holds the record for the second-highest scoring total, with 44,149 combined points.
Starting the day on Tuesday, James was in third place for the most regular-season games played in NBA history, sitting at 1,547 appearances. He trails behind Robert Parish, with 1,611 games, and Abdul-Jabbar, with 1,560 games. If James remains in good health and chooses to return for a 23rd season, he is on course to overtake Parish by the following winter.
In postseason play, James holds the record with 287 appearances. He achieved the title of the league’s all-time leading playoff scorer on May 25, 2017, when he overtook Michael Jordan’s total of 5,987 points during the Eastern Conference finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Additionally, on February 7, 2023, James surpassed Abdul-Jabbar’s regular-season scoring record of 38,387 points in a game against Oklahoma City.
James’ remarkable scoring achievements can be largely attributed to his consistent performance. His recent scoring against the Clippers continued a streak of scoring at least 10 points in 1,277 consecutive games since January 6, 2007. This streak is unparalleled in the history of the NBA.
