James hits 1,916 career points vs Bulls

LeBron James scored 22 points on Sunday to reach 1,916 career points against the Chicago Bulls, a franchise record for any player in NBA history. The 76ers forward achieved the milestone with a three-pointer, capping a performance that extends his total over 70 career games against Chicago.

James, who is 41 years old and in his 24th season, did not know he had broken the record until after the game. The NBA announced the achievement on social media. The player has faced the Bulls more than any other team due to 15 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.

Bulls coach Tiago Splitter noted that James and Splitter are the same age. Splitter stated that James is still an elite player and likely has the best career ever. He observed that James continues to perform at a high level while Splitter has transitioned to coaching.

The forward is in his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers, his fourth NBA team. His career includes four championships, four Finals MVP awards, and four regular-season MVP awards. He became the league's all-time scoring leader in 2023 by passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James will play against the Bulls two more times this season, with the next game scheduled for Jan. 23 in Chicago.

Center Nic Claxton returned from a hamstring injury suffered in early training camp. Limited in minutes, Claxton recorded four points, four rebounds, and four assists in 17 minutes. He described the minute limit as necessary because he felt tired. Splitter said it was normal for Claxton to be exhausted in his first real game after a month out.

Claxton is an eighth-year veteran in the third year of a four-year, $97 million contract with the Nets. The Bulls acquired him in a trade in June. He said he did not feel any lingering effects from the strained muscle, which was his first time dealing with such an injury. He expressed happiness that he finished the game without issues.

Forward Noa Essengue scored 10 points, his second double-digit scoring game of the season. The 2025 first-round pick also grabbed seven rebounds, three of which were offensive. Splitter said Essengue is learning to pressure the ball and navigate screens. Claxton praised Essengue's quickness and length, noting his ability to defend guards full court at 6 feet 9 inches.