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LOS ANGELES — It fittingly occurred with a picture-perfect fadeaway jumper.Atlanta Hawks...
LOS ANGELES — It fittingly occurred with a picture-perfect fadeaway jumper.
With this fourth quarter fadeaway, LeBron James scored his 30th point of the night against Atlanta, giving him 563 30+ point games in his career, one more than Michael Jordan, who previously held the record.
pic.twitter.com/9xgkVRp2QE
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 4, 2025
Setting that record with Jordan's signature shot was just icing on the cake.
"He was more of a left shoulder fade away guy. I kind of go the opposite way," LeBron said. "But, just two masters of the craft, just putting in work and work and work to a point where it's kind of becomes unguardable... Watching MJ move the ball in the air, fading away, still being on balance... I've watched MJ a lot, saw how on balance he was, even though he was fading away from the basket. So I just want to try to match that as my career has grown in years."
LeBron seems to set a record every time he steps on the court these days and his teammates celebrate those moments but are used to them — and talk a little smack to him about it. Like Chicago native Anthony Davis.
"Took him seven more seasons," Davis joked.
LeBron was again the tone setter for a Lakers team that has been clicking on both ends of the court lately, having won 7-of-9 after comfortably knocking off the Hawks, 119-102.
LeBron becomes the NBA's all-time leader in 30+ point games in the @Lakers W
30 PTS | 13-20 FGM | 8 AST pic.twitter.com/MWU1TlxlDA
— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2025
It was a good night for the Lakers and for LeBron, who continues to pad his GOAT resume.
"Very humbling," LeBron said of breaking the record. "And anytime I'm mentioned with any of the greats — and arguably the greatest to ever play the game, someone who I idolized in my childhood, and I wear 23 because of him — so to know that I can sit here and be in the room, or in a conversation or whatever it is, you mention MJ, it is like super duper dope for me being a kid from where I'm from."
