LeBron James broke the record for most made shots in NBA history on Thursday night (5), although the latest milestone in his brilliant career didn’t stop the Los Angeles Lakers from being defeated 120-113 by the Denver Nuggets.
James, who already held the NBA’s all-time points record, surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 15,837 converted shots with a first-quarter shot.
LeBron’s mark, over 43 thousand points in his career, is almost 5 thousand more than that of Abdul-Jabbar, in second place, whom he surpassed in 2023.
The 41-year-old reached the scoring record earlier in part because Abdul-Jabbar played much of his career before the introduction of the three-point shot, but the record for made shots is further proof of his longevity and skill.
LeBron has spent a record 23 seasons in the NBA and has fueled rumors of a possible retirement in recent weeks, telling reporters in January: “I don’t know what the future holds.”
He scored 16 points in Thursday’s loss and apparently injured his left elbow in the fourth quarter after being pushed off the court and falling into the legs of a cameraman.
LeBron returned to the court in the final two minutes of the game, but was visibly in pain.
It was a win from start to finish for the Nuggets, even though the Lakers were within one point with two minutes remaining.
“They’re a tough team to beat,” said Nikola Jokic, who posted yet another triple-double with 28 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds. “We scored when we needed to.”
The result could be crucial for qualifying for the playoffs, with the Lakers occupying the last automatic spot, in sixth place, just behind the Nuggets.
They are two wins ahead of the Phoenix Suns, who lost 105-103 to the Chicago Bulls.
