Giannis Antetokounmpo Passes Larry Bird With Another NBA Legend in Reach

On Sunday, Giannis Antetokounmpo reached a significant milestone in his career as he equaled Larry Bird's all-time points record in the NBA. The moment occurred at halftime of a game between the Miami Heat and the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento. Just 54 seconds into the third quarter, Antetokounmpo netted a pull-up jumper, giving the Heat a 70-59 lead and pushing his career total to 21,806 points. Bird had scored 21,791 points over his 897-game career with the Boston Celtics.

Antetokounmpo, 31 at the time, needed only 14 more points to match Bird's record. He scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds during Miami's 114-108 victory over the Kings, earning 14 of his 23 shots on two-point field goals. In addition to his scoring, Antetokounmpo contributed three assists, two steals, and two blocks in 34 minutes of play.

This achievement marked a pivotal point in Antetokounmpo's first season with the Miami Heat, who had acquired him in a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks. The milestone also puts him within reach of Hall of Famer Gary Payton, who finished his career with 21,813 points. Antetokounmpo will need to score eight more points against the Utah Jazz to surpass Payton's record. The Heat have already secured four wins in their six games since the milestone, setting them up for their next matchup against the Jazz on Tuesday.