When Will LeBron James Pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Points Record Could Fall In These Lakers' Games

LeBron James is on the verge of passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA's all-time scoring list. After scoring 26 points Thursday night in the Los Angeles Lakers' 112-111 win over the Indiana Pacers, James needs just 63 points to break Abdul-Jabbar's record.

When exactly will LeBron pass Kareem? There are a few possible dates, though one stands out as the favorite for the Lakers' star to set the new points record.

The Lakers visit the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday for their next game. James would need one of the best performances of his career to break the record in New Orleans.

Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record will likely fall at some point during the Lakers' following two games. Los Angeles hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday, Feb, 7. On Thursday, Feb, 9, the Lakers host the Milwaukee Bucks.

James is scoring 30.1 points per game. If James sticks to his average, he'll pass Abdul-Jabbar on Thursday against the Bucks. James has -190 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to pass Abdul-Jabbar on that date, making it the favorite.

It's realistic that James can set the new scoring record Tuesday, which has +250 odds to be when the mark gets broken. All it would take is a 31-point game in New Orleans and a 32-point performance against Oklahoma City. In January, James scored 33.8 points per game.

James' scoring average increased while Anthony Davis was out with a foot injury. In four games since Davis' return, James has scored 28 points or fewer three times. James had a 41-point performance a week ago against the Boston Celtics.

FanDuel gives James +20000 to have a 63-point night in New Orleans and pass Abdul-Jabbar in astonishing fashion.

James has +500 odds to break Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record on Saturday, Feb. 11 against the Golden State Warriors. It's unlikely that James won't break the record before the Lakers visit Golden State, unless James misses a game. James has scored at least 20 points in 34 straight games.

The Lakers visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 13. James has +3200 odds to break the record on that date.

In his 20th season at 38 years old, James has the third-highest scoring average of his career. In 1,408 regular-season games, James is averaging 27.2 points on 50.5% shooting.

Abdul-Jabbar passed Wilt Chamberlain to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer on April 5, 1984. His record of 38,387 points has stood for nearly 34 years.