Record chase the hottest ticket in Hollywood

LOS ANGELES — It’s Oscars season in Los Angeles but instead of the red carpet, all eyes are on the NBA hardwood where Lakers forward Lebron James is on the cusp of becoming the league’s alltime leading scorer.

James needs 36 points to eclipse Lakers great Kareem Abdul-jabbar’s record of 38,387 points and will get his first chance to do so at home on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tickets for that game start at US$284, 50 per cent higher than the team’s season average, according to ticket retailer Stubhub.

Prices are higher still for Thursday’s home game against the Milwaukee Bucks, indicating the market believes that James, who is averaging 30 points per game in his 20th season, will need two games to reach the mark.

To rub shoulders with Hollywood’s brightest stars, courtside tickets for Tuesday’s contest could set you back as much as $48,403 and Thursday’s an eye-watering $68,995, according to retailer Tickpick.

The sticker shock has led some Lakers fans scrambling to find ways to witness history at a discount.

Others said breaking the record will help James, who won championships in Miami and Cleveland before collecting his fourth title as a Laker in 2020, step out of the shadow of the late Kobe Bryant.