Perspective: In his 19th season, LeBron James is more aware than ever of his place in NBA history
James, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar and the main reason 20,476 fans filled the arena Saturday night, had just drained his third straight three-pointer, giving him 19 points and tying him with Hall of Famer Karl Malone for the second most in NBA history at 36,928.
As if James needed a reminder. Of course, he knew how close he was to passing Malone and holding the No. 2 spot all by himself.Clearly, James knew his total — which is why he came back down the floor and immediately hoisted a three to try to move past Malone — and he recognized the magnitude of the moment. There might not be another player in the league who’s more legacy conscious, more convinced about his own GOAT-ness and more aware of history and his place in it than James.
He has spent more than half his life and his entire adulthood in the searing spotlight of public scrutiny, and for every misstep there are 10 more milestones gleaming in his biography. Even now, on a maddening Lakers team that needs to be put out of its misery sometime in mid April, the 37-year-old continues to play at an MVP level.
James may still lean on the clever branding of being just a kid from Akron, Ohio, but his story is far more significant to the game of basketball, and the world of sports, than a local-kid-made-good tale . James may not have all the rings that Michael Jordan has, but his greatness on the court has been linked to his mission away from it, something that Jordan cannot claim.
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