Image by Flickr/Keith Allison
Miami Heat star LeBron James has become the fifth player in NBA history to score double digits in 500 consecutive games.
In Miami’s win over the Toronto Raptors 104-95 on Tuesday, James scored a season-high 35 points to lead his team to their first road victory this season. James also had eight assists and a season-high eight rebounds.
The four-time MVP said he was humbled to be in the same class as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (with streaks of 787 and 508 games), Michael Jordan (866), Karl Malone (575) and Moses Malone (526) as the only other players to reach that milestone.
“When I see a stat like that, I’m like ‘Wow,’ because I know the history of the game, I know the guys who paved the way for myself and my teammates,” James said. “To be in such a great class like that, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Teammate Shane Battier attributed James’ achievement to his hard work and dedication.
“That’s apt company,” Battier said. “You don’t really see the work he puts in, not only on his game but his body, to keep himself at the highest level in the world, really. It takes amazing dedication and resolve. That’s partly why LeBron is LeBron, that’s why he’s great, because he has that resolve to stay at a high level.”
Against Toronto, James reached 10 points in the first quarter.
“I just go out and play every night and those are the results,” he said.
