LeBron James hailed as ‘GOAT' after he becomes first player in NBA history to score 40K career points

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has become the first player in NBA history to score 40,000 career points. He accomplished the milestone on Saturday, March 2 during the team’s 124-114 loss at home against the Denver Nuggets.

With 10:39 remaining in the second quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers game against the Denver Nuggets, James stormed past Michael Porter Jr and made the career-winning layup.

LeBron James receives standing ovation

James was greeted with a standing ovation and an appreciation from coach Darvin Ham in an outstanding chest pat. James raised the ball over his head both before and after the in-arena video presentation posted on X. 

On his first shot of the game, James missed the mark with an airball, but he quickly rebounded by getting out in transition for his first basket of the game and forcing the Nuggets to take their first timeout.

With 3:19 remaining in the first quarter, he subsided after making a corner three-pointer. James returned to the game at the beginning of the second quarter, attacking the hoop 14 seconds in to create the game-winning basket.

James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s mark of 38,387 points to become the league’s leading scorer on February 7, 2023, against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He reached 39,000 points on November 21 in an In-Season Tournament game against the Utah Jazz.

James, 39, has also played the second-most regular season and most playoff minutes in league history.

As per The Guardian, he is the only NBA player with at least 10,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists.

Internet congratulates LeBron James on his achievement

Ever since James achieved the milestone, the internet was flooded with congratulatory posts.

A Facebook user wrote, "Congratulations .. continue Success And Happiness Always." Another user wrote, "Congratulations to a HUMAN BEING that achieved an incredible accomplishment. Strive forth my brother!" 

A user labeled James as GOAT as he wrote, "Debates far over… Greatest of all times. " Another user wrote, "This is greatness .. Congrats LeBron James." 

The next user wrote, "Records are meant to be broken." While a user wrote, "Congratulations LeBron James BJ haters won't sleep." Another one wrote, "history in making," while the next user said, "The goat for a reason."

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