LeBron James played a vital role in helping the Los Angeles Lakers come away with a 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. With the key pass to set Rui Hachimura up for the game-winning shot, James displayed impressive game awareness and unselfishness.
Unfortunately, with the final pass, LeBron James ended the night with a stat line of eight points, six rebounds, and 11 assists, bringing an end to his historic 1,297-game streak of scoring 10 points or more.
James’ long-standing streak was the longest in NBA history. Given that Michael Jordan sits in second place with 866 games, the Lakers’ superstar managed to extend his own streak by a wide margin.
LeBron James went nearly 19 years without scoring fewer than double figures. To put into context how impressive this feat truly is, here is a list of the top 10 active players with the longest streaks of scoring 10 points or more in the NBA.
Top 10 Active Players Scoring 10 Points Or More In Consecutive Games
1. Kevin Durant – 267 games
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 170 games
3. Luka Doncic – 157 games
4. Nikola Jokic – 133 games
5. Devin Booker – 120 games
6. Jayson Tatum – 111 games
7. Cade Cunningham – 101 games
8. Franz Wagner – 77 games
9. Jalen Williams – 72 games
10. James Harden – 53 games
Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant finds himself at the top of this list and the closest to breaking James’ record.
Durant is widely regarded as one of the best and most efficient scorers in NBA history. With a career average of 27.2 points on 50.2% shooting from the field and 39.0% from three-point range, he is truly one of the greatest ever to do it. Unfortunately, at 37 and in the final years of his career, it is unlikely that he will be able to break LeBron James’ record.
The reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, finds himself in second place. As one of the league’s most prolific scorers, averaging 32.8 points per game on 54.8% shooting overall and 43.4% from three-point range, he could have a chance of surpassing James. But considering his intention to retire early and be closer to his family, he may fall short in this endeavor.
LeBron James’ superstar teammate Luka Doncic secures his position in third place. Currently enjoying an MVP-caliber season, averaging 35.3 points on 47.8% shooting from the field, Doncic seems to be in the best form of his life. However, due to pre-existing concerns about his conditioning, doubts arise about his longevity.
Nikola Jokic finds himself in fourth place. By virtue of being one of the most consistent players in the league, averaging a triple-double of 28.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 11.1 assists per game this season, Jokic would be as capable as anybody to break James’ record. But similar to Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic, several doubts have been raised about his long-term commitment to remain in the NBA.
Phoenix Suns superstar Devin Booker has also been impressive in this regard. Having become the centerpiece of the Suns franchise, Booker is the undisputed primary scoring option. With an average of 25.0 points per game on 45.7% shooting from the field this season, he could have a shot. However, already 11 years into his professional career, Booker may not have enough time.
On that note, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham, ranking seventh on this list, may have a better chance of breaking LeBron James’ record. Given that he is only in his fifth season, with a streak that began last year, Cunningham could be in line to surpass James. Considering his average of 27.6 points on 45.2% shooting this season, he may be the next in line.
Along with Cunningham, Franz Wagner and Jalen Williams occupy the eighth and ninth spots, respectively. Wagner’s average of 23.0 points per game and Williams’ average of 16.3 points per game this season imply that both have an opportunity. However, with over 1,220 games separating them from LeBron James’ streak, it will be a test of their consistency.
In tenth place, James Harden finds himself earning a spot on this list with a streak of 53 games. Although he has been enjoying a resurgence so far this season, averaging 26.9 points on 43.7% from the field and 36.8% from three-point range, at 36, it is evident that he won’t manage to earn a spot in the all-time list.
It is worth noting that before last night’s game, the last time that LeBron James scored below 10 points came on January 7, 2007. Given that he has maintained the streak for over 18 years, this record is a testament to his longevity and consistency as a professional athlete.
