By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
LeBron James is now second all-time on the NBA scoring list Saturday (20/3). The Los Angeles Lakers superstar made the achievement during a loss of his team to the Washington Wizards Saturday (19/3).
James entered the game with 36,909 career points and needed just 16 to pass Hall of Famer Karl Malone. With five minutes to play in the second period, he made a move off the ball towards the basket, received the pass from Stanley Johnson and made the layup that moved him into second place among the NBA’s all-time scoring leaders.
Just to be part of this league the many years I’ve been a part of it, and being linked to some of the greatest who’ve ever played this game and guys I’ve ever watched or studied or read about or aspired to be like… I’m just always lost for words for it,” James said. “It’s an honor for myself, for my hometown, for my family and friends to be able to live these moments throughout this journey. And that’s exactly who I do it for.”
The end of the game found the Lakers suffering a comeback loss and LeBron finishing with 38 points, apart from 10 rebounds and six assists. With 36,947 points now in the bank, James needs 1,441 points to move above legendary Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and become the new NBA all-time leading scorer.
It’s quite doable for LeBron, barring potential injury problems.
After a milestone match for him, James couldn’t shake off the fact that his Lakers gave up a 16-point lead and fell to the Wizards. His team was coming off a win over the Toronto Raptors but didn’t manage to get consecutive victories and suffered its seventh defeat over 10 games in March so far.
“Obviously at some point I’ll be able to look back at this moment, but right now the feeling I have… I can’t separate it,” James said. “We had a great opportunity to pick up some more momentum.”