Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is closing in on the NBA’s all-time scoring record.
Following a 28-pont performance in the Lakers’ overtime win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, James sits just 89 points away (38,299 career points) from passing Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 career points), a Laker for the final 14 seasons of his career, for the all-time scoring record.
So, when will James leapfrog Kareem?
While there is no legal California sports betting offering action, utilizing statistics from Basketball Reference, BetCalifornia.com developed hypothetical odds of when James will break the NBA scoring record.
Odds Of When LeBron Will Break NBA Scoring Record
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James is averaging 30.2 points per game this season, so it’s not surprising that next Tuesday’s home contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder is the favorite for James to reach the 89 points needed to set the new all-time scoring record.
James and the Lakers have not faced the Thunder yet this season.
Next Thursday’s home tilt against the Milwaukee Bucks could also be the day he breaks the record should it not happen against OKC. It is the second-favorite by hypothetical odds at +200 or a 33.3% chance. James had 28 points (on 12-of-27 shooting) with 11 assists and eight rebounds in the Lakers’ only matchup with the Bucks this season, a 133-129 road win on Dec. 2.
A fan-favorite of games for James to break the record is next Saturday, Feb. 11, when the Lakers visit Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
During his second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James and his team went to toe-to-toe with the Warriors in four consecutive NBA Finals, with Golden State winning three of them. That game has just a 7.3% (+1270) hypothetical chance of being the record-setting contest.
James turned in a 31-point performance in a 123-109 road loss to the Warriors in the season-opener on Oct. 18.
The final game with hypothetical odds comes on Feb. 13, when the Lakers visit the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Lakers have won two of three against Portland this season with James combining for 99 total points (33 per game). That contest is a hypothetical long shot for the record, as well, with just a 0.5% chance.
Lakers' Odds The Rest Of The Way
While it’s imminent James will soon become the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, it could be the only party celebration this season for the Lakers, who currently sit at 24-28 and 13th in the Western Conference.
James, who ranks seventh in the NBA in scoring and 12th in assists, is the eighth-favorite to be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player at +4500 (45-to-1), according to DraftKings Sportsbook. James, a four-time NBA MVP, has not won the award since 2013.
According to DraftKings, the Lakers are +180 to make the playoffs and -240 to miss. They are also +105 to reach the Western Conference’s Play-In Tournament.
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