Basketball superstar LeBron James on Thursday broke the NBA record for the most field goals made in history, adding another milestone to his legendary career.
However, the achievement could not stop the Los Angeles Lakers from suffering a 120–113 defeat to the Denver Nuggets.
James surpassed the previous record of 15,837 field goals set by NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after hitting a fadeaway jumper in the first quarter.
The 41-year-old forward has now extended his remarkable legacy in the National Basketball Association, where he is already the all-time leading scorer.
James finished the game with 16 points, but appeared to suffer a left elbow injury in the fourth quarter after he was pushed off the court and landed on a cameraman.
Play was briefly halted as he was substituted. Although he later returned for the final two minutes, he appeared to be in visible pain.
The Nuggets led from start to finish, although the Lakers reduced the deficit to just one point with two minutes remaining.
Denver star Nikola Jokić delivered another impressive performance, recording a triple-double with 28 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.
“They’re a difficult team to beat,” Jokić said after the game. “We scored when we needed.”
The result could affect the playoff race, with the Lakers currently holding the sixth and final automatic playoff spot, just behind the Nuggets.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns slipped further behind after losing 105–103 to the Chicago Bulls.
James has scored more than 43,000 career points, nearly 5,000 more than Abdul-Jabbar, whom he overtook as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in 2023.
