The Sportsletter - The King's Scoring Crown 👑

BY JEFF YODER

FEB. 8, 2023  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  REFER  |  WEB VIEW

Good Morning,

The NBA’s 38-year-old scoring record has fallen. For many of our readers (myself included), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been the all-time leading scorer since before we were born. No more. Roughly 30 percent of readers thought LeBron James would break the record on a jump shot, and it’s a shot you’ll see on highlight reels for decades to come.

Let’s crown The King…

NBA

The King's Scoring Crown 👑

Photo: Wally Skalij / Getty Images

LeBron James (38 Points) Breaks NBA’s All-Time Scoring Record

After nearly 39 years, the NBA’s all-time scoring record has been rewritten. It was April 5, 1984 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took the crown from Wilt Chamberlain. LeBron James was born eight months later. Fast forward to last night. On February 7, 2023, it was the kid from Akron who took the crown from Kareem and broke the record that many believed would never be touched. James entered Tuesday’s Lakers-Thunder matchup needing 36 points to make history, and he did it in three quarters.

The King Claims the Crown 👑

After a 20-point first half, LeBron erupted in the third quarter with a pair of 3s and a few fast-break layups to reach 34 points. The Lakers faithful rose to their feet for a series of possessions with history on the line. In the final seconds of the third, James dribbled to the left elbow for a step-back jumper — nothing but net.

Watch: LeBron James Breaks NBA All-Time Scoring Record

A Media Timeout Fit For A King

With ten seconds left in the third, the game was paused for more than ten minutes to celebrate the historic moment. James held back tears as he was joined by his family and friends at center court. A tribute video played on the jumbotron and commissioner Adam Silver teed up the passing of the torch. Kareem handed a ball to LeBron before the new scoring king gave a quick speech.

James finished with 38 points on 13-for-20 shooting, including four 3s, but the Lakers lost despite a late rally (133-130).

Watch: LeBron James Tribute Video & Full 38-Point Highlights

NBA’s All-Time Scoring Leaders

1. LeBron James (38,390 points)

2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points)

3. Karl Malone (36,928 points)

4. Kobe Bryant (33,643 points)

5. Michael Jordan (32,292 points)

6. Dirk Nowitzki (31,560 points)

7. Wilt Chamberlain (31,419 points)

8. Shaquille O’Neal (28,596 points)

9. Carmelo Anthony (28,289 points)

10. Moses Malone (27,409 points)

Top Active Players: 14. Kevin Durant (26,684 points), 27. James Harden (24,233 points), 28. Russell Westbrook (24,098 points), 38. Chris Paul (21,404 points), 39. Stephen Curry (21,183 points), 40. DeMar DeRozan (21,164 points), 68. Damian Lillard (18,805 points)

The King’s Reign

At 38 years old, LeBron is adamant that he plans to play for a few more years. If his body holds up, he should finish well above 40,000 points. And while there are arguments to be made about who is the “GOAT,” there’s no debate on longevity. In Year 20, the King officially sits on the NBA's scoring throne, and his reign may never end.

Additional Storylines

The Ringer: LeBron James and the Last Breakable Record

Clutch Points: 10 LeBron James Records That Are Unlikely to be Broken

SI: LeBron James Celebrates NBA Scoring Record by Dropping F-Bomb on Live TV

CBS Sports: 25 Numbers to Know as One of Sports’ Most Hallowed Marks Falls

SUPER BOWL LVII

Destiny Birds: Will History Repeat?

Photo: Timothy A. Clary / Getty Images

How This Year's Super Bowl Run Feels Eerily Similar to the Last Time the Eagles Won It All

As Super Bowl week rolls on and the storylines keep piling up, our team did some research to dive deeper into the unique trends around this year’s big game. And we found some correlations that could signal destiny for the Eagles on Sunday. The eery synchronicity dates back to five years ago with a series of events prior to Philadelphia’s first Super Bowl win when they beat New England and Tom Brady (41-33).

2017-18 Sports Champions

In 2017, the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Finals before the Houston Astros won the World Series. Three months later, the Eagles went on to win Super Bowl LII.

2022-23 Sports Champions

In 2022, the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Finals before the Houston Astros won the World Series. Three months later, the Eagles are back in the Super Bowl. Coincidence?

Other Similarities

In that 2017-18 campaign, when Philly won its first Lombardi Trophy, the Eagles were the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They had a quarterback (Carson Wentz) who was an MVP candidate before suffering an injury. They went on to defeat the quarterback who eventually won MVP that season — Tom Brady — in the big game. And this year has been no different. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts was a top MVP candidate before suffering a shoulder injury in December. They’re the No. 1 seed. And they’ll be playing the quarterback who will likely win MVP in Patrick Mahomes.

Want More?

It doesn’t stop there. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson was in his second year at the helm when the Birds won it in 2018. New head coach Nick Sirianni is in, you guessed it, Year 2.

Stop the Madness!

No can do… When the Eagles beat the Patriots in 2018, New England was appearing in their third Super Bowl in four years. Sunday marks the Chiefs' third Super Bowl appearance in four years, too.

Guess the Margin

In those 2017-18 years, the Warriors won the Finals (4-1) and the Astros won the World Series (4-2) while the Eagles beat the Pats (41-33). Both margins of victory were tighter in 2022 with the Warriors (4-2) and Astros (4-3) winning less convincingly. The Eagles could be in line for a narrow win, but a win nonetheless, if history repeats itself.

Will the sports gods smile on Philly once again?

Additional Storylines

ESPN: Record 50.4 Million People Bet $16 Billion on Super Bowl LVII

Yahoo! Sports: Tickets Are Hot for Super Bowl LVII — Can They Beat Historic 2015 Price?

USA Today: Dick Vermeil Coached the Eagles & Chiefs… And He Won’t Pick a Super Bowl 57 Winner

🎥 THE HIGHLIGHTS

🏀 NBA Highlights

Magic’s Markelle Fultz Throws Down Hammer Put-Back Dunk

Nuggets Blow Out T-Wolves Behind Nikola Jokic’s 19th Triple-Double of Season

Nets’ Cam Thomas Becomes Youngest Player With 3-Straight 40-Point Games

🏒 NHL Highlights

Bo Horvat Scores 1st Goal With Islanders in Shutout Against Kraken (4-0)

Penguins Top Avalanche as Crosby Sets Up Letang’s OT Winner (2-1, OT)

Oilers Top Red Wings, Stay Unbeaten as McDavid Extends Point Streak to 13

🏀 NCAA Basketball Highlights

M: #8 Virginia def. #22 NC State (63-50)

M: #12 Kansas State def. #17 TCU (82-61)

M: #18 Indiana def. #24 Rutgers (66-60)

M: #21 UConn def. #10 Marquette (87-72)

W: #16 Oklahoma def. Baylor (98-92, OT)

THE STORYLINES

🏀 10 Names to Shape CBB Coaching Carousel

In men’s college basketball, six jobs are already open in the 2023 cycle just days into February, including high-profile vacancies at Texas and Notre Dame. These are the job situations to keep an eye on. (Sports Illustrated)

🏈 The NFL’s Biggest Franchise Tag Decisions

Two NFL teams still have unfinished business this season, but most of the league has already turned its attention to 2023. One of the first orders of business will be deciding whether to place the franchise tag on an impending free agent. (Bleacher Report)

⚽️ Manchester City May Fall

Regardless of how or whether Manchester City is punished for financial violations, the biggest question is how European soccer plans to contend with a growing sector of oligarch playthings and sportswashing superpowers. (The Ringer)

📰 THE HEADLINES

• 49ers Hire Steve Wilks as Defensive Coordinator to Replace DeMeco Ryans (NBC Sports)

• Aaron Rodgers Going On ‘Darkness Retreat’ to Mull Football Future (SI)

• Cleveland Guardians Hire Team’s First On-Field Female Coach (ESPN)
• Byron Leftwich in Talks for Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Job (SI)
• Ghana Soccer Player Christian Atsu Found Alive in Rubble of Turkey Earthquake (Yahoo! Sports)
• NASCAR Driver Kyle Busch Explains Arrest in Mexico Over Handgun Possession (CBS Sports)
• Surfer Bethany Hamilton to Boycott World Surf League if New Transgender Guidelines Enacted (USA Today)

Please consider supporting The Sportsletter, an independently operated and bootstrapped publication, and you'll receive our exclusive Sunday edition. Many thanks to everyone who already supports us!

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Product Manager: Matthew Cahill

Lead Designer: Joe Stella

Technical Lead: Kevin Lonergan

Did Someone Forward You This Email? Subscribe Here
Feedback? Contact Our Editor: Jeff@TheSportsletter.com
Not Loving The Letter? Unsubscribe
Follow us on Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Copyright © 2023 The Sportsletter
717 Market Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103