THE March 3, 2014 is a date apart in the extremely rich career of LeBron Jameswho in February 2023 became the best scorer in NBA history then in March 2024 the first player to reach the 40,000 point mark.
It was indeed that evening that the “King” established his career points record, regular season and playoffs combined: 61. The one and only time he reached the 60-unit mark in a match.
A real demonstration of strength, therefore, from the man who was wearing a (disabling) mask to protect his broken nose a few days before. For the little anecdote, note that this mask was transparent in color and no longer black, at the request of the NBA.
A shower of records
Regardless, this protective mask clearly did not bother LeBron James during his 41 minutes of play against the Bobcats, ancestors of the current Hornets. Bobcats who had already conceded 62 points from another member of the 2003 Draft, namely Carmelo Anthony, a few weeks earlier…
Simply unstoppable, “in the zone” even, so much so that he had “ the impression of shooting in an ocean », the winger of Heat took the opportunity to establish not only his record for points in a match, but also his records for points in a quarter (25), points in a half (37) and 3-points in a match ( 8). They still hold today, except for the number of prize-winning baskets (increased to 9 in January 2023).
Above all, “Masked LeBron” had set the record for points scored by a player of Miami, dethroning Glen Rice's 56 units (1995). Ten years later, no player from the Florida franchise has done better or even just crossed the 50 point mark.
It must be said that, to hope to eclipse LeBron James' mark, it will above all be necessary to demonstrate incredible efficiency, like the main person concerned on this evening in March 2014: 22/33 shooting, 8/10 3-pointers and 9/12 on free throws! Also with 7 rebounds and 4 assists, for only 2 small ball losses.
“ It was a Chamberlain-esque performance, in terms of effectiveness » estimated Shane Battier afterwards, one of the privileged witnesses of this huge offensive card, since he was then playing with the Heat.
The Bobcats' nightmare
The kind of performance that leads to 11 points in the first quarter, 13 in the second, 25 in the third and finally 12 in the fourth! Managing to relegate Al Jefferson's 38 points and 19 rebounds to second place…
“ The Man Above Us Gave Me Incredible Qualities to Play Basketball » Confided LeBron James after the match. “ I just try to enjoy it every night. I also benefit from the trust of my coach and my teammates, who let me play my game. »
Then the four-time MVP added: “ What helped me was that we couldn't make any defensive stops in the last quarter. It allowed me to stay longer on the floor. I tried to make the difference and I'm happy to have been able to string together a few actions to help us win the match. »
Suffice to say that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Josh McRoberts, Chris Douglas-Roberts and other Anthony Tolliver had experienced a real nightmare that evening, at the American Airlines Arena (now the Kaseya Center). Nightmare which would be confirmed a month and a half later in the playoffs, since Miami “swept” Charlotte in the first round, on the way to its fourth consecutive qualification for the Finals.
Of the Finals 2014 finally lost sharply by the Heat against the Spurs (1-4) and which marked the end of the Florida era of LeBron James, then eager to enter the legend with “his” Cavaliers…
LEBRON JAMES’ “SHOTCHART”
LEBRON JAMES’ PERFORMANCE ON VIDEO
| LeBron James | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2003-04 | KEY | 79 | 40 | 41.7 | 29.0 | 75.4 | 1.3 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 20.9 |
| 2004-05 | KEY | 80 | 42 | 47.2 | 35.1 | 75.0 | 1.4 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 27.2 |
| 2005-06 | KEY | 79 | 43 | 48.0 | 33.5 | 73.8 | 1.0 | 6.1 | 7.0 | 6.6 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 31.4 |
| 2006-07 | KEY | 78 | 41 | 47.6 | 31.9 | 69.8 | 1.1 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 27.3 |
| 2007-08 | KEY | 75 | 40 | 48.4 | 31.5 | 71.2 | 1.8 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 7.2 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 30.0 |
| 2008-09 ★ | KEY | 81 | 38 | 48.9 | 34.4 | 78.0 | 1.3 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 28.4 |
| 2009-10 ★ | KEY | 76 | 39 | 50.3 | 33.3 | 76.7 | 0.9 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 29.7 |
| 2010-11 | MIA | 79 | 39 | 51.1 | 33.0 | 75.9 | 1.0 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 26.7 |
| 2011-12 ★ | MIA | 62 | 38 | 53.1 | 36.2 | 77.1 | 1.5 | 6.4 | 7.9 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 27.2 |
| 2012-13 ★ | MIA | 76 | 38 | 56.5 | 40.6 | 75.3 | 1.3 | 6.8 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 26.8 |
| 2013-14 | MIA | 77 | 38 | 56.7 | 37.9 | 75.0 | 1.1 | 5.9 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 27.1 |
| 2014-15 | KEY | 69 | 36 | 48.8 | 35.4 | 71.0 | 0.7 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 25.3 |
| 2015-16 | KEY | 76 | 36 | 52.0 | 30.9 | 73.1 | 1.5 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 25.3 |
| 2016-17 | KEY | 74 | 38 | 54.8 | 36.3 | 67.4 | 1.3 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 4.1 | 0.6 | 26.4 |
| 2017-18 | KEY | 82 | 37 | 54.2 | 36.7 | 73.1 | 1.2 | 7.5 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 27.5 |
| 2018-19 | LAL | 55 | 35 | 51.0 | 33.9 | 66.5 | 1.0 | 7.4 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 27.4 |
| 2019-20 | LAL | 67 | 35 | 49.3 | 34.8 | 69.3 | 1.0 | 6.9 | 7.8 | 10.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 25.3 |
| 2020-21 | LAL | 45 | 33 | 51.3 | 36.5 | 69.8 | 0.6 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 25.0 |
| 2021-22 | LAL | 56 | 37 | 52.4 | 35.9 | 75.6 | 1.1 | 7.1 | 8.2 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 30.3 |
| 2022-23 | LAL | 55 | 36 | 50.0 | 32.1 | 76.8 | 1.2 | 7.1 | 8.3 | 6.8 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 28.9 |
| 2023-24 | LAL | 53 | 35 | 52.5 | 40.8 | 73.6 | 0.9 | 6.2 | 7.1 | 7.9 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 25.3 |
| Total | 1474 | 38 | 50.5 | 34.7 | 73.5 | 1.2 | 6.3 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 27.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
