Lakers Fall To Thunder Despite LeBron’s Record-Breaking Night

(CTN News) – In the Los Angeles Lakers’ 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring record with a stepback jumper late in the third quarter.

It was James who broke Abdul-Jabbar’s record which had stood since April 1984. Abdul-Jabbar sat atop the baseline near the Lakers’ bench while watching the game.

After the historic basket, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Abdul-Jabbar were clearly emotional, and Abdul-Jabbar joined them on the court.

James’ mother, wife, and children were also on courtside, surrounded by a celebrity-studded crowd that rose in anticipation almost every time he touched the ball.

He did not disappoint: He scored 20 points in the first half and displayed his offensive talent that still shines brightly after two decades in the NBA, and he racked up 16 points in the third quarter, capped by that incredible jump shot.

As James hugged his family and participated in a short ceremony with Silver and Abdul-Jabbar, the game was halted for approximately 10 minutes.

“I just want to thank the Laker faithful for their support,” James stated. You are truly one of a kind. Being in the presence of a legend of such stature as Kareem is very humbling.”

James’ latest moment in NBA history came at an especially critical time for the Lakers. They are struggling to gain any ground as they attempt to avoid the humiliation of missing the playoffs for a second straight season.

While James hit his mark, the Lakers lost another disappointing game.

Anthony Davis scored only 13 points in the second half, and the Thunder never trailed. In the fourth quarter, James scored only two points, placing him three points ahead of Abdul-Jabbar on the career scoring list with 38,390 points.

For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and Jalen Williams scored 25, moving them one and one-half games ahead of the 13th-place Lakers in the Western Conference.

Despite not being able to guard James much, the young Thunder appeared to feed off the energy created by James’ monumental performance. Sooner City took a 15-point lead into the first half, and nearly 60% of its shots were made.

The tip-ins

Josh Giddey scored 20 points for the Thunder. … Mike Muscala, a former member of the Los Angeles Lakers, scored 16 points in the game.

Austin Reaves returned from a 16-game absence due to a hamstring injury and played seven scoreless minutes. … Russell Westbrook scored 27 points and dished out eight assists.

THE NEXT STEP

On Friday, Thunder will play at Portland.

On Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers will host Milwaukee.

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