LOS ANGELES — LeBron James made NBA history on Saturday, playing in his 1,612th regular-season game and surpassing Robert Parish’s long-standing record of 1,611 games, which had stood since 1997.
The four-time NBA champion, 41, had equaled Parish’s mark just two days earlier in Miami, recording a triple-double after the Lakers arrived at 4 a.m. following a win in Houston.
“He’s got to be insane,” said 27-year-old teammate Austin Reaves. “There’s nothing left to prove, but he finds something to continue to motivate him. … And that’s not how he’s wired.”
Now in his 23rd NBA season, James holds numerous league records, including all-time points scored, field goals made and attempted, and the longest streak of regular-season games scoring at least 10 points — 1,297. Yet James says chasing records was never his goal.
“It just kind of happened,” James said Thursday. “Games played, all-time leader in points, 10-point streak… those things were not in my mind. I wanted to be the greatest, win championships, possibly Rookie of the Year, make All-Star appearances, win gold medals, win some MVPs — those were my goals.”
Including playoff games, James has played 1,904 career games, ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,797) and Parish (1,795). His longevity, he notes, is a result of meticulous physical preparation and commitment to being available for his team.
“Availability, I’ve always wanted to be available to my teammates,” James said. “It’s a mental toll, trying to play a lot and being out there… I just give a lot of praise to the man above and [it’s about] just loving the game and appreciating the game.”