Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James etched his name deeper into NBA history on Thursday, breaking the all-time field goal record in a game against the Denver Nuggets.
Despite this milestone, the Lakers fell 120-113 in a hard-fought match.
James, who already holds the NBA all-time scoring record, surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s previous mark of 15,837 field goals with a smooth fadeaway jumper in the first quarter.
The 41-year-old, now in his 23rd NBA season, continues to demonstrate unmatched longevity and skill, even as speculation about his retirement grows.
Earlier this year, he told reporters, “I don’t know what the future holds.”
During Thursday’s game, James scored 16 points but sustained a left elbow injury in the fourth quarter after a collision with a cameraman.
Play was temporarily halted, yet he returned to finish the game’s final minutes despite visible discomfort.
The Nuggets dominated the game from start to finish, although the Lakers closed the gap to a single point with two minutes remaining.
Nikola Jokic led Denver with another triple-double performance: 28 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds.
Jokic praised his team’s resilience, saying, “We scored when we needed.”
This result may affect playoff positioning, with the Lakers sitting sixth, just behind the Nuggets, and narrowly ahead of the Phoenix Suns, who lost to the Chicago Bulls 105-103.
LeBron’s career points now exceed 43,000, nearly 5,000 more than Abdul-Jabbar.
While Abdul-Jabbar played before the introduction of the three-point line, James’s field goal record reinforces his enduring dominance in NBA history.
