LeBron James Breaks NBA Field Goal Record As Nuggets Beat Lakers

LeBron James added another remarkable chapter to his long career on Thursday night, becoming the player with the most field goals in National Basketball Association (NBA) history.

LeBron James’ historic moment came in defeat as the Los Angeles Lakers fell 120-113 to the Denver Nuggets.

James surpassed the long-standing mark held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar early in the first quarter, knocking down a trademark fadeaway jumper to move beyond Abdul-Jabbar’s total of 15,837 field goals.

The 41-year-old forward finished the night with 16 points, though the spotlight soon shifted from celebration to concern late in the fourth quarter.

James appeared to hurt his left elbow after being knocked off the court and landing awkwardly on the legs of a courtside cameraman. Play was briefly halted as he left the floor. He returned with about two minutes remaining, but clearly struggled with the injury.

Denver controlled much of the game from start to finish, though the Lakers threatened a late comeback. Los Angeles cut the deficit to just one point with two minutes left before the Nuggets steadied themselves to close out the win.

Nikola Jokic led Denver with another triple-double, finishing with 28 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.

“They’re a difficult team to beat,” Jokic said. “We scored when we needed.”

The result could have a significant impact on the Western Conference playoff race. The Lakers remain in sixth place, the final automatic playoff spot, sitting just behind Denver in the standings.

Los Angeles hold a two-game cushion over the Phoenix Suns, who slipped to a narrow 105–103 defeat against the Chicago Bulls.

Despite the loss, James’ record adds yet another milestone to a career already stacked with achievements. He passed Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in 2023 and now holds a career total of more than 43,000 points, nearly 5,000 ahead of Abdul-Jabbar.

LeBron James who is currently enjoying a record 23rd NBA season has recently fuelled speculation about retirement. Speaking to reporters in January, he admitted uncertainty about what comes next. “I don’t know what the future holds,” he said.