EMMANUEL B. VILLARUEL • ASST. EDITOR: LEMUEL P. MAGLINTE LeBron passes Lakers legend
With a gorgeous three-point play , the King jumped over the Big Dipper.
LeBron James' inimitable presence has already been felt in his first few weeks in Hollywood. His most impressive game yet for the Lakers included a bit of history when he passed Wilt Chamberlain on the NBA's career scoring list.
The superstar with no shortage of historic achievements was more excited about leading his surging new team to yet another win.
James had a season-high 44 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, roaring past Chamberlain for fifth place on the scoring chart and leading the Lakers to a 126-117 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.
James scored 28 points in the second half and vaulted past Chamberlain's 31,419 points on that three-point play with 3:55 to go. LeBron finished a memorable night with 31,425 points, and fell just short of his 75th triple-double during his most impressive performance since joining the Lakers.
Reggie Bullock made the winning shot as time expired and the Detroit Pistons rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors giving coach Dwane Casey a victory over his former team.
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Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, Reggie Jackson and Langston Galloway each scored 13 points and Stanley Johnson had 12 for the Pistons. They had lost six of eight.
Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points and Pascal Siakam and Greg Monroe each had 17 for the Raptors.
Jimmy Butler had 14 points in his Philadelphia debut, but the 76ers collapsed late and lost to Orlando after Terrence Ross hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 8.7 seconds.
Butler played 33 minutes and shot 6 for 12 from the field. The four-time All-Star was acquired Monday from Minnesota in a fiveplayer trade.
Orlando scored 21 straight points in the fourth quarter, then held the 76ers without a field goal over the final 3 1/2 minutes. Nikola Vucevic had 30 points, making two free throws with 5.8 seconds left.