Chris Paul of Winston-Salem, North Carolina made NBA history on Friday by becoming the first player ever to record 20 000 points and 10 000 assists for his career. Paul achieved NBA history by making a free throw with seven minutes and 43 seconds left in the first half in a 115-105 Phoenix win over the Los Angeles Lakers from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. At the time, Paul helped the Suns tie the game at 36 apiece.
Paul now has 20 020 career points, and 10 310 assists. He is fifth all-time in assists (behind John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash and Mark Jackson), and 47th all-time in points. Stockton is the all-time leader in assists with 15806. Paul is only one of six players too record 10 000 assists. The other player on the list is Magic Johnson, who has 10 141 assists.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the all-time leader in points with 38387. Paul is sixth among active players. He is behind LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers (35445), Carmelo Anthony of the Lakers (27 423), Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets (23 982), James Harden of the Nets (22 100), and Russell Westbrook of the Lakers (21 893). Anthony interestingly moved to ninth on the all-time list on Sunday, as he passed Moses Malone in a 121-118 Lakers win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
In Paul’s historic game on Friday, he had a double-double, with 23 points and 14 assists. However, Paul was unable to deliver on Saturday as he struggled by scoring only four points in a 134-105 Suns loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
