The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 112-108 on Sunday, with LeBron James securing his 1,015th regular-season victory and surpassing Robert Parish for second place all-time. James scored 29 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished six assists in the win. Luka Doncic contributed 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists for the Lakers, who improved to 17-6 on the season.
The Los Angeles Lakers secured a 112-108 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, marking a significant milestone for forward LeBron James. With the win, James reached 1,015 career regular-season victories, moving ahead of Hall of Famer Robert Parish's total of 1,014 and trailing only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 1,074. James, who had missed the first month of the season due to a sciatica issue and recently dealt with a foot problem, delivered his best performance of the year, scoring 29 points, including 10 straight in the fourth quarter to seal the game. He also added seven rebounds and six assists.
Luka Doncic, returning alongside James after both missed Friday's game against the Boston Celtics, posted a triple-double with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. The Lakers' supporting cast, including center Deandre Ayton for rim protection, guard Austin Reaves, and forwards Rui Hachimura and Jake LaRavia, has helped the team thrive at 17-6 despite James' absences. James, averaging 16.1 points, 7.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds this season, reacted humbly to the achievement.
"It's super humbling for sure," James said. "To be able to be in this position to play the game that I love and still be able to do it at a high level... Being a historian of the game and being able to appreciate, that's what's most important to me. Appreciating the ones who came before me because they laid down the stones, they laid down the path and I'm trying to do the same thing for the next generation."
Parish, a four-time champion primarily with the Boston Celtics, played 21 NBA seasons from 1976 to 1997, averaging 14.5 points and 9.1 rebounds over 1,611 games. The Lakers, fresh off the win, face the San Antonio Spurs next in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.