October 25, (THEWILL) – Carmelo Anthony passed Moses Malone midway through the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 121-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday to move into ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
On a pull-up 3-pointer, the 37-year-old reached 27,410 points, one more than Malone to scale past the late 12-time NBA All-Star.
Anthony led the Lakers with 28 points, making 6 of 8 3-point attempts. After being fouled on a 3-point attempt with 2.5 seconds left, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant had a chance to tie the game, but he missed the final free throw after making the first two.
Anthony signed a one-year deal with the Lakers this offseason. In his 19th season in the NBA, the forward has also played for the Nuggets, Knicks, Thunder, Rockets, and Blazers. The 37-year-old had a season average of 12.5 points and 4.5 rebounds as of Sunday.
The legendary Shaquille O’Neal, who has 28,596 career points, is eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
In the second quarter, LeBron James had an injury scare when Memphis guard Desmond Bane collided with his right leg. James remained on the floor and grabbed at his leg, but after being attended to by members of the Lakers training staff, he eventually got up on his own and returned to the game. James had 19 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks.
A loss would have meant three straight home losses to start the season, following a winless preseason, putting their patience and resolve to the test. In addition to avoiding a disaster with James, there was more evidence that the Lakers were on the right track and the victory was just what the team needed.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
