Can Luka Doncic Surpass LeBron James in NBA’s All-Time Points Leader List?

It was more than special what we saw from Luka Doncic tonight. The Dallas Mavericks superman went ballistic on the Atlanta Hawks. A career-high 73 points demolished their rivals in the Mavs’ 148-143 win. It marks the fourth-highest-scoring game in the rich history of the league. Only playing in his fifth season, Doncic’s seasonal outburst is asking the wildest of questions.

One of the most popular ones – can he be the man to beat LeBron James for the all-time scoring record? To be clear though, the King isn’t done setting the final score just yet. In his 21st season, he is averaging 24 points per night for the Los Angeles Lakers. Additionally, he hasn’t had any major injuries either, so he isn’t missing games frequently. However, Doncic is by far a superior scorer than James. He has hacked the modern game and found a way to bulldoze defenses. But can he keep racking up such monster games for a long time?

Luka Doncic is on a historic run

The NBA knew Doncic was going to be a generational talent right after his rookie year. The Slovenian was miles ahead of his class. He carried himself with maturity and played the game the right way. However, he wasn’t afraid to loosen the screws and be an offense on his own. His awe-striking bursts made him a fan favorite.

READ MORE-Avid Liverpool Fan Boris Becker Echoes LeBron James’ Sentiments After Jurgen Klopp’s Heartbreaking Announcement

Then when we saw him in the playoffs for the first time, Doncic became a bonafide superstar. In his three-year postseason career, Doncic has the second-highest career points average at 32.5, only behind His Airness – Michael Jordan.

There really isn’t much to hate about Luka Doncic. He is 6’7”, an oversized point guard. There isn’t a defender who has done particularly well against him. He is a lethal inside scorer, can go on a scoring carnage, and cook defenders in the post. Natural strength allows him to discard any defensive contact and finish at the rim.

There are no questions about his scoring prowess. Just like last season, he is one of the leading scorers in the league. In fact, he is just second to Joel Embiid who is averaging an astounding 36 points per game. Doncic isn’t all that far behind at 34.3.

Additionally, his vision covers the entire court. He is a playmaker genie. Luka Doncic can easily thread the needle to find the best teammate. However, we are speaking strictly of points. Superiority might belong to Doncic, but longevity is a whole different game.

Luka Doncic can’t catch LeBron James

In six seasons, Doncic has posted monster numbers. His highest mark in a season was last year when he scored 2138 points and 475 in the playoffs. This season, he is on pace to set a new career-high, already having hit 1315. Even if we assume an average of 2000 points per season, Luka Doncic will have to have 15 such seasons to score over 40k points. And that is us assuming LeBron James stops playing today, which isn’t happening.

LeBron James is currently at 39,668 career points. This year, he is averaging nearly 25. Considering he plays for another season and the whole of this year, he will score at least 3k points. To reach 42,000 at the aforementioned pace, Doncic has to play 16 more seasons. Doing what he is now will probably be impossible at the age of 35.

Luka Doncic was asked last year about crossing James. While admitting it’s possible, the 24-year-old claimed there is “no way” he will be there to do it simply because he doesn’t feel like playing as long.

No matter how early one starts or how consistent, logging the time James will and staying away from major injuries is a task that comes only once in generations. Doncic won’t be the one to beat the unbeatable record. As slim as the chances are, there might be one. But the chance of it remaining forever is higher.

Watch This Story: John McEnroe, Boris Becker, and Others in the Most Shocking Moments of Wimbledon Championships