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LeBron James holds the record for the most consecutive games of scoring double figures and the most points scored in NBA history. But even a player like him experiences off-nights. In a career spanning two decades, there were occasions when The King looked human.
Here’s a look at the five lowest-scoring regular season games of his career.
5. 8 PTS (three times)
James has been held to eight points in a regular season game on three separate occasions. The most recent time it happened was in the 2006–07 season in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks where he shot 3-13 from the field. This game also marked the last time he ever finished a game under double digits to date.
The other two occasions he was held to eight points occurred during his rookie campaign (2003–04). These were a road game against the Portland Trail Blazers and a home game against the Atlanta Hawks. Surprisingly, the two games also happened right after the other. Perhaps James was hiding an injury that he decided to play through?
Whatever the case, in those two games James struggled, shooting a combined 7-24 from the field.
4. 7 PTS (first matchup vs. Carmelo Anthony)
On November 5, 2003, James squared off against the Denver Nuggets in his first matchup with fellow 2003 draftee Carmelo Anthony. Anthony finished the game doubling James' scoring total of 14 in what turned out to be a closely contested game that ended in a 93–89 win for the Nuggets.
James shot just 3-11 from the field but he did stuff the stat sheet in every other category. He finished that game with 11 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks, and two steals to go with his seven points.
3. 6 PTS (rookie season vs. Detroit Pistons)
In another rookie-year stumble, James scored just six points in a matchup against the Detroit Pistons while shooting 2-for-8 from the floor.
The Cavaliers would go on to lose the game by four points. While James made an impact when he scored seven against the Nuggets, this was one of the rare nights James was mostly a non-factor from start to finish. James had only two rebounds, seven assists, and had a net rating of -10.
2. 4 PTS (rookie season vs. Los Angeles Clippers)
On December 3, 2003, James scored just four points on 1-9 shooting in a 90–80 loss against the Clippers. To date, that game takes the cake for being the worst shooting game of his career considering the volume of shots he attempted. Not surprising at this point that like many others on this list, those off nights came during his rookie season.
1. 3 PTS (Only time James finished a game without a field goal)
James' lowest-scoring game ever was in a loss to the Houston Rockets. A year removed from his rookie season, James thought he'd overcome the rookie wall. Unfortunately, the Rockets had other plans.
He scored just three points and failed to make a single field goal (0-5 from the field), marking the only time in his career he finished a game without a basket. To be fair, James had scored 40 points the night before and was playing on the eve of his 20th birthday — perhaps a sign his mind was elsewhere.
While these five games stand out for their low scoring, they also underscore just how rare it is for James to be anything less than excellent.
After all, James is also one of the few players who has more 50-point games in his career than single-digit scoring games. But in a two-decade career filled with 30-point nights and playoff heroics, these five games serve as a reminder that even legends aren't perfect.
