LeBron James is three made field goals away from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most made shots in NBA history. Three. Tonight in Denver, it's going to happen.
And here's the crazy part - most people probably assumed LeBron already held this record. After all, he passed Kareem for the all-time scoring lead over two years ago. But basketball is funny that way. LeBron has 4,724 more career points than Kareem, but he's been sitting at 15,835 made field goals, just three behind Kareem's 15,837.
Why the gap? According to Basketball Reference, it's simple math: LeBron has taken way more free throws and made way more three-pointers. Kareem made exactly one three-pointer in his entire career. One. LeBron has made 2,622. That's a lot of extra points without extra made shots.
But let's talk about what this record really means. Most made shots in NBA history. That's not about style points or efficiency or era adjustments - that's about putting the ball in the basket more than anyone who ever played the game. For 20-plus years, LeBron James has been scoring, and scoring, and scoring some more.
LeBron is averaging 8.1 made field goals per game this season at age 41. Forty-one years old. He's playing alongside his son Bronny James in the NBA, and he's still out there breaking records. This isn't nostalgia or a victory lap - the man can still ball.
Tonight's game against the Denver Nuggets is going to be tough. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are rolling, and is never an easy place to play. But you know is aware of how close he is. You know the are going to get him his shots early.
