LeBron James continues to keep “Father Time” in-check at 40 years old.
The Los Angeles Lakers star forward made history as the first NBA player to score more than 50,000 career points. He now has 41,871 points in the regular season and 8,162 in the playoffs.
Needing a point eclipse the 50,000 mark, James achieved the milestone on his first shot, draining a 3-pointer from the left wing from a pass from Luka Doncic.
James finished with 34 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in Los Angeles’ 136-115 win, another dominating performance by the Lakers. The hottest team in the league, the Lakers have won 17 of 20 to move into second place in the Western Conference at 39-21.
Following the game, James expressed his gratitude for another significant accomplishment.
“It’s a hell of a lot of points, and I’m super blessed to be able to put that many points up in the best league in the world with the best players in the world over my career,” James told Spectrum SportsNet in an on-court interview after the game. “It’s pretty special.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to play the game that I love, and I’ve always been true to it, so I’m going to always try to give back,” he continued.
Doncic believes that James can keep playing for years to come.
“It’s amazing,” Doncic said. “Watching him do this stuff at this age, it’s just unbelievable. Like, 50K points, I can’t even explain how insane that is. He might get to 70K, you never know.”
“We wouldn’t be in the position we’re in without him playing at the level he’s been playing at,” Lakers coach JJ Redick added. “And that’s offensively and defensively.”
Just before the game, it was announced that James was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for February, when he averaged 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists and Los Angeles went 10-2. It’s the first time he’s earned honor since 2020.
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