LeBron James passes 39,000 points as La Lakers beat Utah Jazz
LeBron James made his NBA debut in 2003
LeBron James became the first player to score 39,000 points in the NBA as the LA Lakers beat the Utah Jazz in the in-season tournament.
Needing five points, he scored 17 in a 131-99 victory in Los Angeles that secured a quarter-final place.
James, 38, surpassed Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s tally of 38,387 points in February to become the leading scorer of all time.
“I haven’t really had chance to wrap my head around what it means,” James said.
“There’s been so many great players in this league since the beginning of time, and so many great scorers.
“To be able to be the first of anything is always pretty cool. A wild moment, for sure.”
The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player saluted the crowd at the Crypto.com Arena when his achievement was announced.
James recorded nine assists and seven rebounds and team-mate Anthony Davis scored 26 points and made 16 rebounds.
The Indiana Pacers reached the last eight with a 157-152 win at the Atlanta Hawks.
Tyrese Haliburton, who said this week the tournament gave “more juice” to early season games, scored 37 points as the Pacers overturned a 20-point first-half deficit.
Darius Garland’s 32 points led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 122-119 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers that kept their qualifying hopes alive.
The quarter-finals take place on 4 and 5 December, with the semis on 7 December and the final on 9 December in Las Vegas.