Getty Images Lebron James– Portland Trailblazers vs Los Angeles Lakers (Nov. 14, 2018)
Tonight, November 14, Lebron James made history becoming the fifth all-time leading scorer in NBA history, passing Wilt Chamberlain‘s record of 31,419 points, in the Los Angeles Lakers 126-117 victory over the Portland Trailblazers. Check out Lebron James’ history-making moment and all of his highlights in tonight’s game against the Blazers in the video above.
Lebron James was able to tie Wilt ‘The Stilt’ in points on a driving layup to the basket. James sealed the deal passing the Lakers legend on the and-one free throw, thus making moving him up on the all-time scorer in NBA history.
James ended the game with an impressive season-high stat line of 44 points on 13-19 shooting from the field, 10 rebounds, nine assists, and three blocks in 36 minutes of action. Lebron’s 44 points are the most points scored by a Laker since Kobe Bryant‘s 60 point performance in his final NBA game against the Utah Jazz.
James now sits at the fifth slot on the NBA All-Time Leading Scorers List with a total of 31,425 points. LBJ appropriately walked off the Lakers’ hardwood with tonight’s game ball as a memento of his own history-defining accomplishment.
Lebron James’ Record-Breaking Leadership Pushes The Lakers Past The Blazers
At the beginning of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers lacked cohesiveness and struggled to find a consistent rhythm on both ends of the court. But, since the addition of Tyson Chandler, the Lakers have been able to string together some wins and find fluidity in their game.
Laker role players like JaVale McGee and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope surpassed expectations tonight providing their team with quality minutes to solidify a win against a scrappy Blazers team. McGee notched a total of 20 points on 9-12 shooting while protecting the rim with two crucial blocks. Caldwell-Pope provided a spark off the bench as a three-point threat shooting 3-4 behind the arc, scoring 13 points in tonight’s exhibition game.
Lebron’s energy rubbed off on the rest of the Lakers especially on the defense side of the court. The entire team kept their hands active and attempted to contain Damian Lillard to the best of their ability who nearly got a triple-double against the Purple and Gold. Lillard notched a total of 31 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds.
Tonight’s win makes that four straight for the 16x NBA Championship franchise. The (8-6) Los Angles Lakers now lead the season series 2-1 against the (10-4) Portland Trailblazers and won’t see them again until their final game of the regular season on April 9, 2019.
READ NEXT: Lou Williams Responds To Derrick Rose’s NBA Sixth Man Award Goal