Kobe Bryant will likely continue his assault on the NBA all-time scoring list tonight, as he is poised to pass another legend during tonight's game between the Lakers and Kings at Staples Center. Bryant needs 13 points to pass Hakeem Olajuwon for eighth place on the scoring list, a mark he has reached in 44 of 46 games this season. Olajuwon would be the fourth person passed this season, who began the season in 12th place:
NBA All-Time Scoring List | |||
Rank | Player | Points | Avg |
6 | Moses Malone | 27,409 | 20.6 |
7 | Elvin Hayes | 27,313 | 21.0 |
8 | Hakeem Olajuwon | 26,946 | 21.8 |
9 | Kobe Bryant | 26,934 | 25.2 |
10 | Oscar Robertson | 26,710 | 25.7 |
11 | Dominique Wilkins |
26,668 | 24.8 |
12 | John Havlicek |
26,395 | 20.8 |
Bryant has an excellent chance to end this season in sixth place on the all-time scoring list, which would place him behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Shaquille O'Neal. At his current season scoring rate of 24.9 points per game, Kobe would need 20 more games to pass Moses Malone. There are 36 games remaining this season.
This wouldn't be the first milestone achieved by Bryant against the Kings this season, should Kobe score 13 or more, which seems like a safe bet. On November 3 in a win in Sacramento, Bryant passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most minutes played in Lakers history.
For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.