Tonight, LeBron James passed Karl Malone in career field goal scoring. With its 13,530 units, it is now second, just behind the invincible Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
A few days ago, LeBron James made history a little more by becoming the second best scorer in the NBA, ahead of Karl Malone and his 36,928 points. Absent against the Sixers last week, the King returned this Sunday for a game against the Pelicans. This meeting was going to be special since LeBron had the opportunity to pass the symbolic bar of 37,000 career points, which he did by scoring 39 points at 14/27 in shooting including 7/13 at 3-pointers. If this famous bar of 37K is what we will remember in the first place, LeBron has once again overtaken Karl Malone in a ranking linked to scoring. Returning his 14 shots, King James has 13,530 shots scored, second in career shots scored. Just in front of ? Just ahead of Karl Malone and his 13,528 baskets.
Congrats to @KingJames of the @Lakers for moving up to 2nd on the all-time FIELD GOALS MADE list! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/NxcfS7snbl
— NBA (@NBA) March 28, 2022
In 19 seasons, LeBron James has seen the game played in the NBA evolve: from the advent of 3-point shooting to the gradual abandonment of mid-distance. One thing is certain, the child of Akron is not a boomer and knows how to live with the times. He has always been able to adapt to trends in order to continue to score in the League. Not necessarily a natural shooter, as evidenced by his 34.5% career behind the arc, the Lakers boss has worked on his outside shot and seen his number of 3-point baskets increase year after year, going from 63 during from his rookie season, at 103 in 2012-13, to today be at 158 even though the season is not even over! If in almost two decades LeBron James’s marksmanship has been pretty wobblythe King’s main weapon to score baskets remains the finish close to the circle. LeBron James is one of the best slashers Of the history. The guy has an exceptional physique allowing him to be agile enough to make his way to the basket, while remaining powerful enough to take shocks and finish effectively in the circle. He is almost unstoppable when it comes to scoring less than a meter from the hoop, if not directly in it, since he runs at 73.7% success in this area. We can safely say that the guy is comfortable close to the basket, since of his 13,530 career baskets, King James has scored 7,044 within one meter of the basket (52%).
Yet another accomplishment for Mr. LeBron James. Over the years, the boy has always been able to adapt his game to remain an effective scorer in an NBA that has changed dramatically in two decades. Relatively good shooter, the almost forty-year-old continues to be just as monstrous close to the basket. Every opportunity to see LBJ in action is worth taking, so let’s take advantage of it, before it’s too late.
