NBA

How Close Is LeBron James to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s All-Time NBA Scoring Record Following the Lakers’ Win Over the Magic?

Avatar photo
By
Luke Norris
Author photo
Luke Norris Sports Editor

Luke Norris began his sportswriting career in 2013 and joined Sports7 in 2020. The former Section Editor of the NFL and Motorsports sections, he now spends his time here in the role of Senior Writer-Programmer. His well-rounded sports knowledge allows him to cover the NFL, NBA, PGA Tour, MLB, boxing, WWE, and NASCAR for Sports7. Luke is an avid golfer who finds inspiration in the way sports can bring people together and provide a distraction from the real world. He hopes to provide a little entertainment or an escape from the real world with every article he writes, even if only for a few minutes. In addition to his work here at Sports7, Luke's work has appeared on  The Sportster, Inquisitr, GiveMeSport, FanSided, Yahoo! Fox Sports, and Sports Illustrated.

Get to know Luke Norris better
Sports Editor

Updated27 Dec 2022

Disclosure
We publish independently audited information that meets our strong editorial guidelines. Be aware we may earn a commission if you purchase anything via links on our pages.
LeBron James during a Lakers-Magic matchup in December 2022

Coming off a Christmas Day defeat to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, LeBron James helped put an end to the Los Angeles Lakers‘ four-game losing streak on Tuesday night, scoring a game-high 28 points in a 129-110 win over the Orlando Magic.

Despite going 0-for-7 from the three-point line, James connected on 12 of 24 targets from the floor and has shot at least 50% from the field in each of his last eight games. LeBron also recorded seven assists and five rebounds and played only 31 minutes, his lowest total of the season.

James got plenty of help in the victory, including a 21-point, 10-rebound effort from Thomas Bryant, who's played solid basketball with Anthony Davis on the shelf with a foot injury. In addition, Russell Westbrook recorded his third triple-double of the month off the bench with 15 points, 13 assists, and 13 rebounds.

Markelle Fultz led the way for the Magic with 16 points, while Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. each kicked in 15. This year's No. 1 overall pick, Paolo Banchero, had a rough night attempting to guard LeBron and had five fouls while scoring only four points in 22 minutes.

How close is LeBron James to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record after the Lakers' win over the Magic?

LeBron James during a Lakers-Magic matchup in December 2022
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers slams the ball against the Orlando Magic during the third quarter at Amway Center on December 27, 2022 | Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

With his 28-point effort on Tuesday night, LeBron James now has 37,786 regular-season points for his career, putting him just 601 behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s all-time NBA record of 38,387.

If James stays healthy and maintains his season scoring average of 27.8 points per game moving forward, he'll pass Kareem on Thursday, February 9, when the Lakers host the Milwaukee Bucks.