LeBron James is now the NBA’s all-time scoring playoff leader.
During Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, James took over the crown when he hit a 3-pointer with 2:40 left in the third quarter. The shot gave him 29 points for the game and 5,989 points for his postseason career. Jordan held the top spot with 5,987 points for 19 years before LeBron took it over.
Here’s a breakdown of career scoring leaders during the NBA Playoffs (via NBA.com):
1. LeBron James, 5,989
2. Michael Jordan, 5,987
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 5,762
4. Kobe Bryant, 5,640
5. Shaquille O’Neal, 5,250
6. Tim Duncan, 5,172
7. Karl Malone, 4,761
8. Jerry West, 4,457
9. Tony Parker, 4,012
10. Larry Bird, 3,897
Before Game 5, James said if he would surpass Jordan, it would be an honor. However, he doesn’t want the accomplishment to define who he is as a player.
“I’ve always told you guys, any time I’m linked to any of the greats and even the greatest in Mike, it’s an honor," James said. "It’s a tribute to what I’ve been able to do with this game.”
James reached the scoring mark in his 212th game while Jordan set the score in 179 games.
The Cavaliers went on to win the series 135 – 102. They face the Golden State Warriors in the 2017 NBA Finals on June 1.
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