Fans really, really want to see LeBron James break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s goal.
Ticket prices for next week’s Los Angeles Lakers games are skyrocketing. The two games are now almost certainly out of the reach of the average fan.
As of Wednesday, James is just 89 points off Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record – meaning he’s likely to do so next week, barring injury or rest. The Lakers will play two home games next week, first against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday and then against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
Ticket prices for those two games are now ridiculous.
All data from Vivid Seats (h/t Colin Ward-Henninger of CBS Sports)
Lakers vs. Thunder | February 7
Lowest price: $326
Average price: $1,152
Increase from season opener: 390%
Lakers Vs. Bucks | February 9th
Lowest price: $357
Average price: $1,302
Increase from season opener: 175%
If James is not there for Thursday’s game, his next opportunity will be on Saturday against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco. The average price for that game is over $850 – which is less than what it was to start the year – although it’s sure to rise once the record is in play.
Abdul-Jabbar scored 38,387 points in his playing career and he has held the record since 1984. James was not even born when Abdul-Jabbar first broke the record. James, now in his 20th season in the league, has averaged 30.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.1 assists with the Lakers this season. He also had his first triple-double of the season against the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, making him the first player in league history to do so in his 20th season. James also passed Mark Jackson and Steve Nash to fourth on the NBA’s all-time assists list.