LeBron becomes 1st in NBA history to reach 40K points
Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James is the first player in NBA history to reach the 40,000-point mark.
James accomplished the feat in Saturday's 124-114 defeat against the Denver Nuggets, reaching the milestone with a layup at the 10:39 mark of the second quarter.
LeBron James scores the bucket to become the first player in league history to score 40,000 career points 👑
— NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2024
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| Rank | Players | GP | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LeBron James | 1475 | 40017 |
| 2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1560 | 38387 |
| 3 | Karl Malone | 1476 | 36928 |
| 4 | Kobe Bryant | 1346 | 33643 |
| 5 | Michael Jordan | 1072 | 32292 |
James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points in NBA history last season in a defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 7, 2023.
The 39-year-old four-time MVP and NBA Finals MVP also holds the league record for most playoff points (8,023) and All-Star appearances (20).
Here's a look at how James' record-setting regular-season haul has been spread among the three franchises he's played for.
| Team | GP | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 849 | 23119 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 332 | 8980 |
| Miami Heat | 294 | 7919 |
James finished Saturday's 2023 Western Conference Finals rematch at the Crypto.com Arena with 26 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the field to go with nine assists and four rebounds. Rui Hachimura recorded 23 points, and Anthony Davis added 17 points and 11 boards as all five Lakers starters finished with at least 17 points.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 10 rebounds for the visitors, and Michael Porter Jr. chipped in with a tidy 25-point display that included a perfect 5-for-5 return from beyond the arc.
The Lakers fell to 33-29 with the defeat and remain in 10th place in the Western Conference and the final play-in spot.