WASHINGTON — With a cut to the basket and an uncontested driving layup, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time second-leading scorer Saturday night in the second quarter against the Washington Wizards.
James passed former Utah Jazz Hall of Famer Karl Malone on the all-time scoring list with 5 minutes, 20 seconds left in the quarter. He entered the night needing 20 points to move ahead of The Mailman, who had 36,928 points in his 19-year career.
James finished with 38 points in a 127-119 loss, leaving him with 36,947 career points. That puts him 1,440 points behind former Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose record stands at 38,387 points.
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“Just to be a part of this league as long as I have been a part of it and be linked to some of the greatest that have played the game, guys that I have either watched or studied or read about or aspired to be like is just something I am lost for words at,” James said. “It’s an honor for myself, for my hometown, my family, my friends, to be able to live these moments throughout this journey. That’s exactly who I do it for. I do it for my family, my friends, my hometown and anybody else that has been a part of this journey and this run so far.”
There was some uncertainty about whether James would play Saturday after he logged 45 minutes in an overtime win at the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. But James tested his knee before the game and was announced in the starting lineup not long before tipoff.
James was asked Friday night if he sees any similarities between himself and Malone in that they both are known for their longevity and fitness.
“Absolutely,” James said. “Guys that just took care of their bodies for the majority of their career and always wanted to be available to their teammates. The most important leadership for you is to try to be available as much as possible on the floor. I think myself and him, we always just tried to be in uniform and make plays and stay in condition and try to stay healthy, stay injury-free as much as you can and also be productive on the floor. So yeah, absolutely.”
At 37, James entered the game averaging 29.7 points this season, third in the NBA behind the Philadelphia 76ers‘ Joel Embiid (30.0) and the Milwaukee Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.8).
But James said he is focused on trying to win more games as the Lakers fight for a play-in spot.
“Winning is what’s most important to me and what’s always been most important to me,” James said. “But the one thing I’ve been able to do is keep the joy of the game. I understand that we’re taking a lot of losses this season and whatever the case may be. But the joy of the game and going out there and competing is so damn fun.
“And obviously, the frustration of losing and things of that nature, obviously, in the heat of the battle, you feel it that way; but it’s a joy to play the game, and it’s a joy to go out there and play at this level at this point in my career, so I’m still having a blast.”
