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LeBron James Breaks NBA Career Field Goals Record

PUBLISHED Mar 5, 2026, 11:33 PM ET

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LeBron James Breaks NBA Career Field Goals Record

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Sources: 6

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DENVER — LeBron James broke the NBA record for career made field goals on Thursday, sinking a baseline turnaround jumper for his 15,838th basket in the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Denver Nuggets. The milestone surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 15,837 career field goals. James finished the game with 16 points, eight assists and five rebounds but the Lakers lost 120-113 as Nikola Jokić recorded a triple-double. James briefly left with a left-elbow concern before returning late in the fourth quarter. He entered his 23rd season having already held the NBA all-time scoring mark. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

By Daniel Hayes | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

1989: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar finished his career with 15,837 made field goals.
February 7, 2023: LeBron James surpassed Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time scoring lead.
Prior season: James surpassed 50,000 combined regular-season and postseason points (reported earlier).
Thursday: James hit a baseline turnaround jumper for his 15,838th career made field goal.
Thursday: Lakers lost 120-113; Nikola Jokić posted a triple-double and James left briefly with an elbow concern.

News Intelligence

LeBron James' record-breaking achievement is a testament to hard work and longevity in a tough career. It's a reminder that persistence pays off, whether you're an NBA fan or not. If you're looking for motivation, consider James' 23-year journey to this milestone.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 6
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 0
Neutral:: 6

Who Benefited

LeBron James's individual legacy and the NBA's commercial profile benefited through record-setting publicity, generating heightened media attention, historical narrative value, and potential increases in viewership and merchandise revenue.

Who Impacted

The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a game loss and faced short-term concern about LeBron James's left-elbow discomfort, which limited his late-game contributions and introduced immediate lineup and performance uncertainty.

Media Bias