Lakers: LeBron James Breaks Kobe Bryants’ All-Time Christmas Scoring Record
Despite another disappointing loss to Brooklyn on Christmas, LeBron James stans had reason to celebrate.
LeBron James finished with a mammoth stat line of 39 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. He singlehandedly almost led his team to a comeback win, when the team was already down 23 in the fourth quarter.
Coming into the game, James trailed Kobe Bryant by 13 points to become the all-time leader in points scored on Christmas. Midway through the second quarter, James tied Bryant’s record with a layup. Then with 3:52 left in the second quarter, James surpassed that record while shooting a pair at the charity stripe.
Bryant was previously the leader in points on Christmas with 396 points in 16 games. In his own 16th Christmas game, James now stands alone as the leader in that department with 422 points. Kevin Durant, who was absent from the game because of health and safety protocols, has 299 points, good for second as an active player.
Obviously, this is a record that does not compare with all the accolades James has. Four-time MVP, 17-time All-NBA, 4-time champion, the list goes on and on. However, this is a record that will be difficult to top, since it is extremely rare for players to play in over 15 Christmas games. James has played an extraordinary 15 consecutive Christmas games, and it is easy to overlook just how effective and durable he has been in three decades.
