The NBA’s 79th season is true across the nook with the Oct. 22 opening evening tip-off lower than seven weeks away!
We’re anticipating one other historic season full of massive moments, eye-catching performs and — most significantly — milestones and data surpassed.
LeBron James enters his twenty second season because the oldest lively NBA participant. He might be joined by his son, Bronny James, which might mark the primary time a father-son duo shared the ground as teammates in NBA historical past.
James can also be chasing one other scoring report — making an attempt to develop into the primary participant to hit 50,000 profession factors. And, after a stupefying Olympics debut, Stephen Curry will look to increase his lead on the all-time 3-point leaderboard in his sixteenth season within the Bay.
From Nikola Jokic’s superb triple-doubles to Kevin Durant’s climb up the all-time scoring listing, listed here are a number of the greatest milestones to regulate for the 2024-25 NBA season.
LeBron James makes his mark … as soon as once more
James proved all through his illustrious profession that there are few data and milestones that he can not attain.
The Los Angeles Lakers celebrity is already making historical past getting into his twenty second season within the league, tying Vince Carter for many in NBA historical past. James isn’t any stranger to the strain of the professionals, getting into the league when he was simply 18 years outdated. On his birthday on Dec. 30, James may also develop into the primary participant to play within the NBA as each an adolescent and a 40-year-old.
After passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar two seasons in the past to assert the NBA’s all-time scoring title, James is simply 850 minutes shy of passing the all-time nice once more for many regular-season minutes. James averaged 35.3 regular-season minutes final season, and if he stays wholesome and may deal with the load, James can attain this mark by the Lakers’ twenty fourth sport on Dec. 8 towards the Portland Path Blazers. He may also cross Abdul-Jabbar (1,560) for many regular-season contests performed if he manages to play 69 video games, trailing solely Robert Parish (1,611) for essentially the most.
Most notably, Bronny James, after being chosen at No. 55 within the 2024 NBA draft, will step onto the court docket along with his father as teammates, marking the primary time in league historical past {that a} father-son duo will play collectively within the NBA — assuming they each play subsequent season.
Each level counts
James adopted up his achievement of changing into the NBA’s all-time main scorer two seasons in the past by changing into the primary NBA participant to cross 40,000 regular-season factors in 2023-24. This season, he’ll separate himself from the pack much more and develop into the primary participant to achieve 50,000 factors, mixed regular-season and postseason. He wants simply 1,364 factors (nicely beneath his 1,984 whole from final season) and if he maintains his similar points-per-game tempo as final common season, he’ll hit that mark in his 53rd sport.
James additionally wants simply 9 extra 30-point performances to surpass Michael Jordan for many in NBA historical past (562 video games). James had 22 video games with 30-plus factors final season.
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The subsequent lively participant on the all-time scoring leaderboard is Phoenix Suns ahead Kevin Durant, who wants simply 76 factors to achieve 29,000. Durant averaged 27.1 factors per sport final season — if he can keep wholesome getting into the season, the 14-time All-Star can hit that mark by the Suns’ third sport towards the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 26.
Stephen Curry and DeMar DeRozan, two of essentially the most prolific shooters within the league, are inside vary of 25,000 profession factors. Curry, getting into his sixteenth season with the Golden State Warriors, wants 1,332 factors to hit that mark, an achievable feat (if he maintains final season’s scoring tempo) by the Warriors’ fiftieth sport on Feb. 8 towards the Chicago Bulls.
DeRozan, who will be part of the Sacramento Kings this season after enjoying the previous three years for the Bulls, wants 1,418 factors to achieve 25,000. If the six-time All-Star can keep final season’s common of 24 factors per sport, he can hit that mark by the Kings’ 59th sport, on March 5 towards the Denver Nuggets.
From deep!
After changing into the NBA’s all-time main 3-point scorer in 2021, Curry has the prospect to develop into the primary participant to hit 4,000 3-pointers.
Curry wants 253 3-pointers to hit the mark. He made 357 pictures from past the arc final season (4.8 per sport), and if he continues that tempo, he’ll attain 4,000 by the Warriors’ 52nd sport on Feb. 12 towards the Mavericks.
The subsequent lively NBA participant on this listing is LA Clippers guard James Harden. With 2,940 profession 3-pointers, Harden wants simply 34 extra to cross Ray Allen for second most in NBA historical past.
Karl-Anthony Cities additionally has an opportunity this season to hitch an elite group of 7-footers. The Minnesota Timberwolves massive man wants simply 25 3-pointers to develop into the fourth 7-footer to achieve 1,000, and be part of the likes of Dirk Nowitzki, Channing Frye and Lauri Markkanen.
It is the little issues that rely
James continues to climb a number of leaderboards, together with the all-time listing free of charge throws. If James makes at the least 142 free throws this season — he made 303 final common season — he’ll cross Moses Malone (8,531) for second in NBA historical past. Karl Malone holds the report with 9,787 made free throws.
Nuggets level guard Russell Westbrook, the NBA’s all-time chief in profession triple-doubles, wants just one extra to hit 200. (He had just one final season.) Getting into his 18th season, Westbrook can develop into the primary participant to report a triple-double for six completely different franchises.
Westbrook’s new teammate Nikola Jokic might need to share the wealth; he is solely 9 triple-doubles in need of passing Magic Johnson for third all time. Jokic was second within the league final season with 25 triple-doubles for a profession whole of 130. If he retains that tempo, he will certainly make a leap within the standings.
Chris Paul, at 39, is the third-oldest lively participant within the league behind James and P.J. Tucker. After signing with the San Antonio Spurs, Paul now joins forces with one of many league’s youngest and most fun gamers in 20-year-old Victor Wembanyama.
Paul at present holds third place on the all-time help leaderboard with 11,894. This season, he may surpass Jason Kidd (12,091) if he averages anyplace close to his assists per sport (6.8) from final season. With a goal as massive because the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, Paul ought to have the ability to climb up the leaderboard.
Analysis contributed by ESPN Stats & Info’s Matt Williams
