LeBron James appeared in his 1,611th NBA regular-season game Thursday night, tying Robert Parish’s all-time NBA record for games played. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 134-126, with James contributing 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in the victory.
The milestone came against one of James’ former teams, having previously played for the Heat where he won two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013. “If anybody deserves to break this iron man record, it’s LeBron James,” Parish told ESPN, as reported by the Associated Press. “He takes care of himself. His approach to physical conditioning and what he puts in his body is a mirror of my approach back in the day with my physical conditioning and what I ate. It speaks to not only my longevity, but LeBron’s as well.”
While James reached the historic mark, it was his Lakers teammate Luka Dončić who stole the spotlight with a dominant performance. Dončić scored 60 points, marking the third time in his career he has reached at least 60 points in a game. He has now scored at least 30 points in eight consecutive games.
The Lakers (44-25) faced the Heat (38-31) in Miami, according to MSN, as both players pursued their respective records. James, who has played 23 seasons, also holds the league’s all-time records for points scored, minutes played, field goals made, and field goals attempted.
Elsewhere in the NBA on Thursday, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs secured a last-second victory over the Phoenix Suns with a shot at the buzzer, finishing with 34 points and 12 rebounds. The Spurs won 101-100.
In other games, the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Orlando Magic 130-111, with Coby White, Brandon Miller, and LaMelo Ball all scoring over 20 points. The Detroit Pistons beat the Washington Wizards 117-95, led by Jalen Duren’s double-double. The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls 115-110, with James Harden scoring 36 points. The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 105-99. The Utah Jazz defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 128-96, marking the Bucks’ 40th loss of the season. Finally, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Sacramento Kings 139-118, with V.J. Edgecombe scoring 38 points and recording 11 assists.
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