On Saturday, the Los Angeles Lakers succumbed to a 124-114 loss against the reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, at Crypto.com Arena. It was the Lakers’ eighth straight loss against the Nuggets across two seasons, which saw them remain rooted to the 10th spot in the Western Conference standings. The Lakers kept the game close until late in the fourth quarter, primarily due to LeBron James‘ 26-point outing. It was also a historic night for the four-time MVP as he became the first player in NBA history to score 40,000 points in the regular season. He did so in vintage LeBron James fashion, bullying his way to the basket and banking a layup off the glass.
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Subsequently, James’ former teammates and peers flocked social media to congratulate him on his incredible achievement. The King’s teammate for five seasons, Dwyane Wade, paid homage to his friend on Instagram, writing,
“What a time to be alive! Let’s appreciate the HISTORY we all get to witness.”
Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant, who has battled James thrice in the NBA Finals, also congratulated the Lakers superstar on Instagram, writing,
“Keep setting the bar high!”
Golden State Warriors veteran and James’ good friend Draymond Green also joined in on celebrating the milestone. He wrote,
“40! Congrats my brotha!…1 on 1 indeed!”
LeBron James has been a divisive figure in the NBA since his rookie season in 2003. He is also the most heavily scrutinized athlete in the league by some distance but continues to defy age and all other odds, performing at an elite level, and reaching improbable milestones. LeBron captioned his Instagram post on his incredible milestone, “1 of 1,” accurately describing his career and achievements.
LeBron James’ bad luck on historic nights
While breaching the 40,000 points mark was undoubtedly a gratifying feeling for LeBron James, the loss to the Nuggets soured the moment. It was deja vu for the Lakers superstar. In a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 2023, James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and became the NBA’s all-time leading points scorer. However, the Lakers lost 133-130, deflating the wind out of the fans and players’ sail.
The Nuggets spoiling James and the Lakers’ special night is not new. The Nuggets also soured Kobe Bryant’s statue unveiling by beating the Lakers 114-106. It was also the first anniversary of James passing Kareem and becoming the NBA’s all-time leading points scorer.
The Lakers are 0-2 in games where James has achieved a scoring milestone. After the loss on Saturday, Anthony Davis quipped that he had advised James to stop breaking records. He quipped,
“You know I just told him in the locker room, like, one: he might have to stop breaking records because we always lose anytime he breaks a record. He said the same thing.”
James and the Lakers’ tough luck on historic nights has become a recurring theme. The four-time MVP is at that stage of his career where he sets a new record seemingly every other week. The Lakers will have to buckle up and suspend this streak of spoiled special nights for James and the franchise.
