LeBron James Makes History, Passing Jordan’s 30-Point Record

LeBron James made history by surpassing Michael Jordan for the most 30-point games in NBA history leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 119-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks. The 40-year-old, the league’s all-time leading scorer, scored 30 points in the game, marking his 563rd career 30-point game, breaking Jordan’s previous record from 2003. In addition to this achievement, LeBron James moved up to fourth place for the most career NBA games played with 1,523 games, surpassing Dirk Nowitzki.

He now trails Robert Parish (1,611), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,560) and Vince Carter (1,541). Reflecting on his accomplishment, James expressed how humbling it felt to be mentioned alongside basketball legends like Michael Jordan, someone he idolized growing up. The Lakers extended their strong form with a victory fueled by Anthony Davis, who returned from an ankle injury to post 18 points and 19 rebounds and Austin Reaves, who added 20 points.

The Lakers won seven of their last nine games. Trae Young led the Hawks with 33 points and nine assists but the Hawks couldn’t hold on to their early lead as the Lakers took a 14-13 advantage midway through the first quarter and never relinquished it. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder extended their win streak to 14 games, tying a team record with a 117-107 win over the New York Knicks.

Aaron Wiggins played a pivotal role, scoring 15 of his 19 points in the final quarter while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 33 points. The San Antonio Spurs edged the Denver Nuggets 113-110 with Victor Wembanyama scoring 35 points and securing a critical steal in the final moments.