Lakers forward and future Hall of Famer LeBron James is on the cusp of breaking the NBA’s scoring record, which is currently held by Lakers great and Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387).
As L.A. prepares to play the Knicks on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, James is only 117 points away from becoming the NBA’s top scorer. Basketball fans and bettors alike have a chance to follow along on the action, as various sportsbooks are offering odds on when James will break the illustrious record and how he will do it.
Below, we will look at both markets on FanDuel Sportsbook and provide some advice on where things stand for bettors.
LeBron James Scoring Record Odds: When will LeBron break the NBA’s all-time scoring record?
All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
| Team | Date | Odds |
| at Pacers | Feb. 2 | +20000 |
| at Pelicans | Feb. 4 | +4000 |
| vs. Thunder | Feb. 7 | +175 |
| vs. Bucks | Feb. 9 | +115 |
| at Warriors | Feb. 11 | +240 |
| at Trail Blazers | Feb. 13 | +1100 |
| vs. Pelicans | Feb. 15 | +1100 |
| vs. Warriors | Feb. 23 | +11000 |
| at Dallas | Feb. 26 | +20000 |
| at Memphis | Feb. 28 | +20000 |
| at Thunder | Mar. 1 | +20000 |
*Any other game (+6000)*
Best bet on when LeBron James will break the scoring record: Bucks (+115)
With James set to play tonight against the Knicks, he will need to average 23.2 points per game over the next five games to break the scoring record at home against the Bucks on Feb. 9. Not only is that a home game (something you know James prefers), but the Bucks are the other team Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played for, adding some symmetry and artistry to the breaking of the NBA’s most hallowed record. If James doesn’t sit out the Lakers’ next game against the Pacers, he should be able to break the record in front of his home crowd.
However, there’s also a possibility James could break it a couple of days prior against the Thunder (+175) on Feb. 7 when the Lakers return from their road trip. For that to happen, he will need to average 29.25 points per game, which is actually well below what James had been averaging in January (34.3). If he doesn’t sit out against the Pacers or Pelicans, it’s entirely possible he simply scores too much to wait for the Bucks game. Bettors should also keep an eye on the Warriors’ game (+240) on Feb. 11, especially if James sits out one of the final two road games against the Pacers or Pelicans.
LeBron James Scoring Record Odds: How will LeBron break the NBA’s all-time scoring record?
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
| Method | Odds |
| Dunk | +650 |
| Free Throw | +450 |
| Three-Point Field Goal | +370 |
| Layup | +145 |
| Other | +380 |
Best bet on how LeBron James will break the scoring record: Dunk (+650)
The oddsmakers have pegged LeBron to break the scoring record with a layup, but there’s no excitement in that scenario. Therefore, we will take a shot at James’ dunking to break the record, which is a long shot right now. We’ve seen James throw down some emphatic dunks over his stellar career, so why not try to throw one down to break one of the most historic records in sports?
