LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James became the NBA’s career scoring leader on a stepback jumper late in the third quarter, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record during his 38-point performance in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
James surpassed the mark held since April 1984 by Abdul-Jabbar, who watched the game from a baseline seat near the Lakers’ bench. Abdul-Jabbar then joined an emotional James and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the court after the historic basket.
James scored 20 points in the first half with a full showcase of the offensive talent that still shines blindingly after two decades in the NBA, and he tore through the record in a 16-point third quarter capped by that pretty jumper.
The game was stopped for about 10 minutes while James hugged his family and participated in a brief ceremony with Silver and Abdul-Jabbar.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and Jalen Williams had 25 for the Thunder, who moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the 13th-place Lakers near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Anthony Davis managed just 13 points for the Lakers, and the Thunder never trailed in the second half. James scored only two points in the fourth quarter, putting him atop the career scoring list with 38,390 points.
