Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James survived an injury scare late in the first quarter of Friday’s NBA In-Season Tournament clash against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center before returning in the second frame to extend his record of consecutive games scoring in double figures.
James, 38, seemingly pulled a calf muscle when driving to the rim. He scored his free throws and played a few more possessions before receiving treatment on the sideline.
Despite the scare, he never left for the locker room, a good sign he was going to return, and he did so in style by going to the rack despite a ton of contact. He only had five points when the injury scare happened, but quickly got to double-digits in scoring during the second quarter.
LeBron’s Remarkable Scoring Streak
How many games straight has LBJ scored 10+ points? James has scored at least 10 points in 1,160 NBA games, over 200 more than Michael Jordan’s streak and nearly twice as many as Kevin Durant.
The next active player with the longest streak scoring 10+ points is Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid. If he wants to break James’ record, Embiid, 29, would have to score at least 10 points for the next 12 to 13 years.
The Lakers trailed the Suns by eight points into halftime but pulled out the win in crunch time with a Cam Reddish dagger. James, 38, is already the league’s leading scorer and fourth place in assists, but that’s not even his most impressive record. The historic night was close to not happening due to the injury scare.