The Dipper is now No. 5. Next up is Michael Jordan at No. 3 on the all-time NBA scoring list. And Kobe Bryant moved into the No. 4 spot on the career points list while playing all but 23 seconds of a 103-98 victory at Sacramento that allowed the Lakers to keep pace with the Utah Jazz and maintain a half-game lead over the surging Dallas Mavericks in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Not that Bryant will ever touch some of Wilt’s unbreakable records, but Kobe is ahead of Wilt’s 31,419 career points.
The luv and support from all you is very humbling. Makes me want to follow as many as I can #mambaarmy
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) March 31, 2013
The only three ahead of him now is Michael Jordan (32,292), Karl Malone (36,928) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387). Asked if Abdul-Jabbar’s record is obtainable for him, Bryant said ”I don’t see it happening” unless he decides to play longer than planned.
Bryant was all smiles in Sacramento’s cramped visiting locker room, saying he did not expect it to be his final game there because he expects the team to stay in California’s capital city rather than relocate to Seattle.
Bryant said he met Chamberlain when he was about 8 years old in Philadelphia and long held the Lakers legend in the highest esteem.
”He was like Conan the Barbarian,” Bryant said. ”That was the most impressive thing to me. He was just a warm-hearted gentleman.”