Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is on the brink of history, and DraftKings Sportsbook is allowing bettors to wager on when he will break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
James has been terrific in the 2022-23 season, averaging 30.2 points per game, and he’s just 89 points away from passing Kareem.
So, when will James break this record? Well, he could do it in two big games.
Or maybe three games right at his league average. Or maybe he sits out a game so it takes four or more. This isn’t as clear cut as you’d think.
Luckily, we have the odds for LeBron’s chances of breaking the record ahead of the Lakers’ game against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night. I’d say he won’t score 89 in this game, but you never know…
Odds for when LeBron James will break all-time scoring record
- 2/9 vs. Milwaukee Bucks: +100
- 2/7 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: +150
- 2/11 vs. Golden State Warriors: +300
- 2/13 vs. Portland Trail Blazers: +950
- 2/28 vs. Memphis Grizzlies or Later: +2000
- 2/15 vs. New Orleans Pelicans: +2500
- 2/4 vs. New Orleans Pelicans: +3000
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Best bet for when LeBron James breaks scoring record
LeBron has dealt with some nagging injuries all season, sitting out the front end of a back-to-back against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
However, the Lakers don’t play another back-to-back until Feb. 28 and March 1, so he’s likely going to play in every game going forward.
Based on James’ scoring average, he could pass this total against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 7, which would be his third game. However, the odds have the favorite being by Feb. 9 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Obviously, if James falls short of 30 points in one of his next three games he could be hovering right around the number by Feb. 9, but I actually think the Thunder game is the best bet on the board.
LeBron may be averaging 30.2 points per game, but he’s scored over 30 points in nine of his last 14 games, averaging 34.7 points per game over that stretch. If he keeps that pace, he should clear this during the game against OKC.
One bad game would almost certainly push him to Milwaukee, but there is way less value at +100 for him to clear it then.
OKC and Indiana (two of his next three opponents) both play at top-10 paces this season, and the Lakers are No. 2 in pace. If those games get uptempo, James could put up big enough scoring numbers to pass Kareem by Feb. 7.
Either way, what James is about to do is unprecedented. NBA fans, whether you like LeBron or not, have to appreciate his greatness and ability to play at such a high level for so long. Whenever it looks like he has a chance to break this record, make sure you’re tuned in to history.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.