LeBron James sets NBA record for career assists by forward
LeBron James broke Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen's NBA record for career assists by a forward during the Cleveland Cavaliers' victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.
James became the league's all-time leader in that category after finding forward Kevin Love for an open 3-pointer in the second quarter of Cleveland’s 102-93 win.
Pippen held the record for more than a decade, finishing his career in 2004 with 6,135 assists after breaking Boston Celtics forward John Havlicek’s mark.
James scored 19 points and dished out 11 assists in the Cavs' victory and now has 6,142 for his career, which ranks 27th all time. Next up on the list is Hall of Fame guard Jerry West, with 6,238.
• MANNIX: Rose's latest setback casts uncertainty on Bulls' future
"That means a tremendous amount to me," James said, according to the Associated Press. "It means a lot more than passing Allen Iverson on the scoring list in the last game because I have always taken so much pride in my passing game. To me, the greatest rush has always been helping my teammates succeed, not succeeding myself."
James also holds the single-season record for assists by a forward with 651, set during the 2009-10 season and has averaged 6.9 per game during his 12-year career with Cleveland and the Miami Heat.
This season, James is averaging 25.7 points, 7.3 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game for Cleveland (36-22), which is in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
- Scooby Axson
