TITLE: LeBron James Surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for NBA Career Field Goal Record
SLUG: lebron-james-sets-nba-field-goal-record
CONTENT:
DENVER — March 5, 2026 — LeBron James added another line to his extensive résumé on Tuesday, becoming the NBA’s all-time leader in regular-season field goals made during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
The milestone basket came in the first quarter when the 41-year-old forward scored over Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji, eclipsing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing mark of 15,835 makes. James, now in his 23rd NBA season, reached the record while Denver defenders Jake LaRavia and Tim Hardaway Jr. closed in on the play.
Despite the historic moment, the Lakers could not overcome the Nuggets, who were missing several wing players but still relied on accurate perimeter shooting to secure the win. James paced a late fourth-quarter rally that narrowed the gap, yet Los Angeles fell seven points short.
After the game, James acknowledged the significance of the achievement but said the result and a sore elbow kept him from celebrating. “It’s a pretty cool feat, but it’s hard for me to wrap my head around it right now,” he told Spectrum SportsNet. “All I feel is my elbow and the loss.”
Reflecting on his career, James noted that matching the game’s legends was never an explicit goal when he entered the league straight from high school. “I came into this league understanding that I had to start from scratch,” he said. “Throughout that, I’ve been able to hit some milestones—some I aimed for, some I didn’t. Tonight was not one of the goals, but it’s an unbelievable feat.”
James already sits atop or near the top of numerous NBA categories, and the new field goal record further cements his standing among the sport’s greatest scorers. Still, he emphasized that championships remain his ultimate target as the season continues.
Source: Lakers Nation
