LeBron James has turned the record book into familiar territory, and on Thursday night in Denver he claimed another milestone once owned by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
James became the NBA’s all-time leader in regular-season field goals made during the Lakers’ 120–113 loss to the Nuggets, passing Abdul-Jabbar with a first-quarter turnaround jumper. The basket was the 15,838th made field goal of James’ career, moving him past Abdul-Jabbar’s total of 15,837.
THE NEW KING OF FIELD GOALS! 👑🏀 LeBron James resmi melewati rekor Field Goals Made (FGM) milik Kareem Abdul-Jabbar!
Satu lagi rekor abadi yang berhasil dipecahkan!✨#NBAMilestones #iniNBAkita pic.twitter.com/Vdsw2yQ9xR
— NBA Indonesia (@NBA_Indonesia) March 6, 2026
The record is another layer in what has already become the most expansive longevity résumé the league has seen. James is in his 23rd season, and this latest mark adds to a career already defined by sustained scoring volume, durability, and a rare ability to evolve without losing production. Karl Malone sits third on the all-time list, well behind the two Lakers greats now occupying the top spots.
The moment came in a game the Lakers ultimately could not steal. Denver held on behind Nikola Jokić’s triple-double of 28 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, while Jamal Murray also scored 28. James finished with 16 points, and Luka Dončić led the Lakers with 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
What gives the milestone extra weight is the player he passed. Abdul-Jabbar’s field-goal total was built across 20 seasons and anchored by one of the sport’s most iconic shots, the skyhook. James reached the top in a completely different style, through force, pace, touch, counters, transition attacks, and a scoring profile that has changed with every phase of his career.
At this point, the surprise is no longer that James keeps breaking records. It is that, this deep into his career, he is still doing it in real time, on meaningful nights, against top opponents, with the game still demanding something from him beyond nostalgia. Thursday’s loss belonged to Denver. The history, once again, belonged to LeBron James.
