{"id":520661,"date":"2026-03-05T16:40:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T16:40:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/520661\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T16:40:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T16:40:22","slug":"starting-5-lebrons-milestone-nears-a-spurs-pistons-showdown-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/520661\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting 5: LeBron’s milestone nears, a Spurs-Pistons showdown and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Three away.<\/p>\n

Last night, SGA tallied his 124th straight 20-point game \u2013 three shy of passing Wilt Chamberlain for the longest such streak in NBA history.<\/p>\n

Tonight on Prime (10 ET), LeBron James enters Denver three field goals shy of passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most all-time.<\/p>\n

\"Shai<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

The King\u2019s Quest: The Lakers visit the Nuggets with LeBron on the precipice of history<\/p>\n

Also On Prime: KD leads Rockets against Warriors in jam-packed West race<\/p>\n

League Pass Spotlight: Wemby\u2019s surging Spurs run it back against the East-best Pistons<\/p>\n

Wednesday\u2019s Best: SGA & OKC hold firm at MSG, Hornets sting Celtics for 6th straight win<\/p>\n

Roundup: Hawks extend streak, Kawhi & Maxey shine and a Holiday special<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST \u2026 \u23f0<\/p>\n

\"Scores<\/p>\n

Nine games tip off tonight, headlined by a Prime doubleheader as the Rockets host the Warriors (7:30 ET<\/a> | Tap to Watch<\/a>), before the Nuggets host the Lakers (10:30 ET<\/a> | Tap to Watch<\/a>).<\/p>\n

1. ON PRIME: LEBRON EYES HISTORY AS LAKERS VISIT NUGGETS<\/p>\n

\"LeBron<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the NBA\u2019s all-time leading scorer.<\/p>\n

He has more 10-point games, more 20-point games and more 30-point games than anyone in league history.<\/p>\n

And tonight (10 ET, Prime), LeBron James, the scoring King with a resume that has defied Father Time himself, is on the cusp of another record as the Lakers visit the Nuggets.<\/p>\n

The Number: Sitting at 15,835 career field goals made, James needs three more to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15,837) for the most in NBA history
\nThe Standard: Kareem\u2019s mark has stood untouched for nearly four decades. Outside of LeBron, only Karl Malone (13,528) has eclipsed 12,000 field goals. Malone would still need over 2,300 buckets to reach Kareem<\/p>\n

The Chase: Then, there\u2019s James, who was four years old when Abdul-Jabbar scored his final regular-season basket in 1989.<\/p>\n

Now he\u2019s 41, with more than half his life spent as an NBA All-Star \u2013 with a record 22 selections \u2013 and still stretching the limits of what\u2019s possible.<\/p>\n

\"LeBron<\/p>\n

The King\u2019s Road: One of James\u2019 earliest career highlights on an NBA floor came in his rookie debut \u2013 a steal turned tomahawk slam<\/a> that would later define vintage LeBron, foreshadowing the highlight machine he\u2019d become.<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t his first basket. That came on his first career shot: a 16-foot baseline jumper that was nothing but net \u2013 a quieter hint at how his game would grow.<\/p>\n

Through all the dunks, chase-down blocks and no-look dimes, James\u2019 scoring has remained constant \u2013 evolving with the league itself, from a relentless young slasher into an efficient three-level artist.<\/p>\n

\"LeBron<\/p>\n

\u2b06\ufe0f From his first NBA basket to the shot that moved him past Kareem for the all-time scoring record, LeBron\u2019s scoring arsenal has expanded across four eras, mastering all areas of the floor. \u2b07\ufe0f<\/p>\n

The Rookie (Cavs Pt. 1): James needed just 3:04 of game time to hit his first NBA field goal, a textbook jumper that laid the foundation for everything that followed (2003)
\nThe Power (Heat): In Miami, LeBron became an overwhelming force, punishing the rim at will, including the above one-handed hammer that produced an iconic image alongside Dwyane Wade (2010)
\nThe Evolution (Cavs Pt. 2): James\u2019 game expanded in his second stint with Cleveland, as he shot 35.1% from 3 across four seasons, including a classic clutch fallaway in Washington (2017)
\nThe Master (Lakers): With Los Angeles, his scoring has reached its most refined form \u2013 manipulating space, mastering angles and fittingly passing Kareem\u2019s scoring record with a midrange fadeaway (2023)<\/p>\n

And now, with another record within reach, another chapter could be written tonight.<\/p>\n

\"Nikola<\/p>\n

Alongside LeBron, tonight\u2019s matchup \u2013 a pivotal duel in the West Playoff race \u2013 features two more special talents in Nikola Joki\u0107 and Luka Don\u010di\u0107.<\/p>\n

Joker Brilliance: Joki\u0107 (28.7 ppg) leads the league in both assists (10.3) and rebounds (12.6) per game and has tallied 22 triple-doubles \u2013 twice as many as any other player
\nLuka Magic: Don\u010di\u0107 paces the league in scoring with 32.4 ppg, while averaging 8.6 dimes
\nPlaymaking Peak: They\u2019re the only two players this season averaging 27+ pts and 7+ ast, and now collide for the first time since Feb. 2025
\nThe Stakes? The Lakers are just a half-game back of the Nuggets for 5th in the West, each seeking a key win \u2013 with a potential side of history looming<\/p>\n

2. ALSO ON PRIME: KD\u2019S ROCKETS HOST WARRIORS AMID CROWDED WEST RACE<\/p>\n

\"Kevin<\/p>\n

The Rockets have won four of their last five games to keep a steady hold of the West\u2019s No. 3 seed since Feb. 23.<\/p>\n

But the West race is so tight, a bounce or two another way could send Houston as far back as 8th in any same five-game span.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a fun time to be in the league,\u201d Durant said amid Houston\u2019s streak. \u201c\u2026 Not knowing exactly who\u2019s going to be around at the end of the season \u2026 You never know who can make a run in the Playoffs.\u201d
\n\u201cYou can\u2019t afford to have off nights in our conference,\u201d added Rockets coach Ime Udoka. \u201cYou can go from 3 to 7 pretty quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Associated Press writer Tim Reynolds has more:<\/p>\n

\u201cWould it surprise anyone if the Thunder, the Spurs, Houston, Minnesota or Denver survived the Playoff gauntlet in the West? Again, probably not. And feel free to add a few other teams to those lists as well\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this is the NBA\u2019s parity era \u2014 seven franchises have won titles in the last seven years, a run never before seen in league history. It\u2019s not inconceivable to think an eighth different champion is on the way.\u201d | Read More<\/a><\/p>\n

Tonight on Prime (7:30 ET), Durant and the Rockets resume their Playoff push, hosting the 8-seed Warriors \u2013 with 7.5 games separating them.<\/p>\n

More Milestones: Currently on a 3-game 30+ point streak, KD is three 30-pieces away from passing Karl Malone (435) for 4th-most all-time
\nChasing MJ: He\u2019s also 225 points away from passing Michael Jordan for 5th on the all-time scoring list<\/p>\n

3. LEAGUE PASS SPOTLIGHT: SPURS VS. PISTONS ROUND 2<\/p>\n

\"Cade<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been less than two weeks \u2013 10 days, to be exact.<\/p>\n

Now comes the rematch of two top-tier squads.<\/p>\n

The 1st-place Pistons and 2nd-place Spurs meet again tonight (8 ET, League Pass) in a cross-conference clash of title contenders. Location has shifted from Detroit to San Antonio, but the stakes have only heightened.<\/p>\n

Flashback: On Feb. 23, it was a 114-103 victory for the Spurs, marking their 9th straight. Victor Wembanyama was dominant defensively with 17 rebounds and six blocks
\n\u201cThat\u2019s what it\u2019s going to take to beat teams like this,\u201d said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson. \u201cWe can\u2019t hang our hat on shotmaking or offensive creation or trying to score.\u201d
\nFast-Forward: San Antonio has remained red-hot \u2013 now 12-1 dating back to Feb. 1. The Pistons, meanwhile, have won 11 of their last 14<\/p>\n

\"Cade<\/p>\n

Both squads have piled on wins thanks in part to elite guard play. That includes Cade Cunningham and Stephon Castle, a pair of dynamic two-way playmakers primed to meet again tonight.<\/p>\n

Tall Walls: Detroit shot 27.8% with Castle as the closest defender in their previous meeting, including Cunningham\u2019s 3-for-13 mark from the field
\nSilver Lining: But the two-time All-Star, who averages 25.2 points and 9.9 assists per game, still finished with a 16-point, 10-assist double-double in the loss
\nNo Breathing Room: Castle has held opponents to 42.9% shooting this season as the closest defender \u2013 5th-lowest among guards in the league \u2013 while Wembanyama is 1st among all players at 40.9%<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not the only resemblance. These teams are built for matchups like these.<\/p>\n

Best On Best: The Pistons are 16-5 this season against teams currently in the Playoff picture, while the Spurs are 17-8 in that regard
\n\u201cOur guys respect everybody and want to give everybody their best shot,\u201d said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff. \u201cNo matter who the opponent is, our guys always look forward to those challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Trae<\/p>\n

Also on League Pass, Trae Young makes his Wizards debut as they host the Jazz (7 ET), before Anthony Edwards and the Wolves seek their fifth straight win, welcoming the Raptors (8 ET).<\/p>\n

Mavericks at Magic (7 ET)
\nNets at Heat (7:30 ET)
\nBulls at Suns (9 ET)
\nPelicans at Kings (10 ET)<\/p>\n

4. WEDNESDAY\u2019S BEST: THUNDER HOLD OFF KNICKS, HORNETS EXTEND STREAK<\/p>\n

\"Shai<\/p>\n

Defense travels. Poise closes.<\/p>\n

And in a showdown between two teams with top-5 records, on the road in a raucous MSG, the defending champs stood their ground.<\/p>\n

Thunder 103, Knicks 100: Chet Holmgren (28 pts, 8 reb, 6 3s) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (26 pts, 8 ast) combined for 54 points<\/a>, and the Thunder responded to a 40-point 3rd quarter from the Knicks by holding them to 20 in the 4th, capped by one last defensive stand. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

NY Push: After being held to 2 points in the 1st half, Jalen Brunson (16 pts, 15 ast) ignited a 24-9 Knicks run, erasing a 15-point deficit to take the lead entering the 4th
\nOKC Answer: The Thunder countered with a 13-3 burst to regain control, then SGA drilled a clutch stepback trey to put OKC up 7 with 1:08 left
\nFinal Stand: The Knicks weren\u2019t done, as a Josh Hart layup and Brunson triple cut the deficit to 3
\nBut with the Garden rocking and the ball back in New York\u2019s hands, OKC forced two misses before the buzzer to seal a hard-fought dub<\/p>\n

\"Shai<\/p>\n

\u201cLate game, you just gotta figure it out \u2013 whatever it looks like,\u201d said SGA. \u201cGuys made plays, and we got out with a W.\u201d
\nThunder Roll: It\u2019s OKC\u2019s fourth straight win and its seventh in eight games, moving to an NBA-best 49-15 overall and 18-10 in clutch games
\nShai\u2019s Streak: With 15 in the 2nd half, SGA notched his 124th straight 20-point game, three shy of breaking Wilt\u2019s record (126)<\/p>\n

\"Brandon<\/p>\n

From the rolling Thunder, we move to the league\u2019s longest-active win streak in Charlotte, which took flight again Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Hornets 118, Celtics 89: Charlotte shot out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back, limiting Boston to its 2nd-lowest score this season en route to a sixth straight win and a 16-3 mark in its last 19 games.<\/p>\n

And for the first time in franchise history, the Hornets have two straight 25+ point wins, extending their franchise record to 10-straight road victories.<\/p>\n

Kon Knueppel (20 pts, 4 3s) led Charlotte, backed by 18 points apiece from Brandon Miller (5 reb, 3 stl) and LaMelo Ball (7 reb, 4 3s), to overpower Derrick White (29 pts), Jaylen Brown (20 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast) and a C\u2019s squad whose three-game win streak ended. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Dominant Wins: Charlotte\u2019s six straight wins have all been by at least 15 points<\/a>. It\u2019s the longest such streak since the 2017-18 Warriors and the 2nd-longest streak in NBA history
\nSustained Sting: This 16-3 stretch is the franchise\u2019s best 19-game span in over 25 years, with an average margin of victory of 13 ppg
\nBuzz City Keys: Showcasing the league\u2019s 6th-best D since Jan. 1, Charlotte held Boston to its 3rd-lowest FG% (38)
\nCharlotte is now the 4th team ever, and first in over 60 years, to defeat the previous three NBA champs (Jan. 5: OKC, Jan. 18: DEN, last night: BOS) by 20+ points in a season<\/p>\n

5. ROUNDUP: HAWKS & CLIPS STAY HOT, MAXEY LEADS PHILLY, HOLIDAY ERUPTS<\/p>\n

\"Jalen<\/p>\n

To keep pace with the scorching Hornets in front of them, the 10th-place Hawks had to put more distance between themselves and the 11th-place Bucks.<\/p>\n

Hawks 131, Bucks 113: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (23 pts, 5 3s), Onyeka Okongwu (21 pts, 8 reb, 3 stl, 2 blk) and Jalen Johnson (20 pts, 5 reb, 9 ast) helped erase Giannis (24 pts) and the Bucks\u2019 16-point 1st-half lead with a 32-18 3rd quarter on the way to a fifth straight win. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Atlanta overcame Jonathan Kuminga\u2019s absence (knee) to keep just a tiebreaker\u2019s difference with Charlotte (32-31) for 9th-place<\/p>\n

Clippers 130, Pacers 107: Kawhi Leonard was cooking (29 pts, 8 reb), Bennedict Mathurin remained red-hot (23 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast) and the Clips never trailed after the opening four minutes, outpacing Pascal Siakam (29 pts) and Indy for a third straight win. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Epic Climb: LA is now 30-31 after its 6-21 start, sitting just a game back of Golden State for 8th in the West<\/p>\n

\"Tyrese<\/p>\n

76ers 106, Jazz 102: Tyrese Maxey posted a team-high in points (25) and assists (6), and Philly held Utah to 19 points in the 4th to rally late, halting its two-game slide. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Sixer Spark, Jazz Bucket: Jabari Walker added a big double-double for Philly (22 pts, 10 reb), while Keyonte George tallied his second straight 30-piece for Utah (30 pts, 5 3s)<\/p>\n

Blazers 122, Grizzlies 114: Jrue Holiday was unconscious from 3, going 8-of-11 from deep en route to a season-high 35 points<\/a>. He didn\u2019t stop there, adding 11 dimes and 5 boards as he and Jerami Grant (30 pts, 9 reb) powered Portland past Memphis. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Holiday Special: Holiday is the fourth player in NBA history to tally 30+ pts, 10+ ast, 5+ reb and 5+ 3s in a game at 35 or older
\nHis Company? James Harden (5x), LeBron James and Steph Curry<\/p>\n