LeBron James' path to breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time NBA points record: News, stats, schedule and projections

With a layup in the first half against the Washington Wizards on March 19, 2022, LeBron James moved past Karl Malone for second place on the NBA's career regular-season points list. Now the Los Angeles Lakers star has his eyes set on another Lakers legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's current all-time leading scorer.

Abdul-Jabbar has been atop the career points list since April 5, 1984 — eight months before James was even born — when he passed Wilt Chamberlain, who had been the all-time leader since the 1965-66 season. For nearly 60 years, Abdul-Jabbar and Chamberlain have been the only players to hold one of the NBA's most revered records. Now James is on track to add his name to that group at some point in the 2022-23 season.

We'll have complete coverage of James' quest to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer all season long, including updated game-by-game projections, complete scoring stats and a look back at how the four-time MVP put himself on the verge of setting this historic milestone.

MORE: Pelton projects LeBron's path to passing Kareem

Points back of No. 1: 1,402

Career PPG average: 27.1

Games needed to pass Abdul-Jabbar: 52

The Lakers have 10 games left in the 2021-22 season. If James stays on pace and plays all those games, he'd be on track to break the record in his 42nd game of the 2022-23 season. In 2021-22, the Lakers' 42nd team game came on Jan. 12. Because he missed time due to injury, James didn't play his 42nd game until Feb. 25.

March 21: 38 points in 131-120 win vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

March 23: Lakers vs 76ers, 10 p.m. ET on ESPN

Career average vs. PHI: 27.5 PPG

Career high vs. PHI: 44 points (April 6, 2018)

Though James is looking up at Abdul-Jabbar on the official career points list, he's