Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is on pace to dethrone Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer this season. It is a record that, for many years, people felt was untouchable. But in his 20th season, James will add yet another accolade to his illustrious career.
GettyLeBron James and Kevin Durant’s comments on President Donald Trump went viral.
But even as he approaches becoming the leading scorer in NBA history, James knows that records are meant to be broken. And just like he will dethrone Kareem, there is a possibility that one day somebody could do the same to him. When asked who has the best chance to surpass him, LeBron didn’t hesitate to name-drop Brooklyn Nets star, Kevin Durant.
“I mean [Kevin Durant] comes up — the first name that comes to mind for sure,” LeBron said in an interview with ESPN NBA insider Dave McMenamin (H/T Clutch Points).
“His name is not ‘Easy Money’ and ‘Slim Reaper’ for no reason. He does it so effortlessly. His ability to shoot the three ball, shoot the mid-range, get to the paint, and also shoot 85-90 (percent) from the free-throw line. Those are the key ingredients, and most important is about being available on the floor.”
LeBron James Calls Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving ‘Great Scorers’
There have been some out-of-this-world scoring performances in the NBA this season. Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell scored 71, Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid scored 59, and Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic scored 60 AND had a triple-double with 21 rebounds and 10 assists.
The level of talent in the NBA right now is abundant. James notes that there is a surplus of “great scorers” in the NBA that have the potential to one day pass him on the all-time scoring list.
“We have a lot of great scorers in our league, KD being one of them,” James added. “Kyrie, Luka — he’s young, Embiid, Giannis. Those guys put numbers on the board. You have to have a little luck as well. We all know that health is the most important — not only in sports but in life in general — it’s a real good luck to still be on the floor and still be able to do it.”
Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris Sound Off on Kevin Durant Injury
Unfortunately for Durant, the one thing that could stop him from passing LeBron on the all-time scoring list is his injury history. In the third quarter of the Nets’ last contest against the Miami Heat, Durant collided with Heat forward Jimmy Butler and left with an injury that turned out to be a right MCL sprain. It is the second time he has suffered the injury in as many seasons.
Nets star Kyrie Irving knows that Brooklyn is at a disadvantage without Durant in the lineup for at least two weeks. But the star point guard understands that he and his teammates will have to continue to compete at the highest level, despite the unfortunate circumstance they are faced with.
“With K we know what we’re up against with him not being in [the] lineup,” Irving said of Durant’s injury via the New York Post. “We can say it every single day, but we don’t have time for any excuses. We’ve just got to keep moving forward and stay mature about it.”
Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris also chimed in on Durant’s injury.
“It’s hard to foreshadow exactly what’s going to happen. … So, it’s a lot of hypotheticals,” Harris said. “But what we do know is that we do have a lot of depth. So that’s positive for us.”
It will be interesting to see if the Nets can continue their hot streak without Durant’s services.
Source: dailylifeworld.com