LeBron James Thanks Michael Jordan for 'Inspiration' After Breaking 30-Point Record

After surpassing Michael Jordan for most 30-point games in NBA history, LeBron James paid tribute to the Chicago Bulls icon.

"THANK YOU for the INSPIRATION," James wrote in a post on Instagram that also included a black cat emoji.

Among the many nicknames Jordan had throughout his NBA career, "Black Cat" was one frequently used by fellow players. It has also been revealed as part of several Jordan Brand sneaker colorways.

James scored 30 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 119-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. It was his 563rd career game reaching the 30-point mark, surpassing the mark that had been held by Jordan since the 2002-03 season.

Jordan only played in 1,072 games, compared to 1,523 thus far for James. He also lost nearly two full seasons in his prime due to retirement.

However, James' efficiency has been better than Jordan's with more than three fewer field-goal attempts per game (19.6 to 22.9) and a slightly higher shooting percentage (50.6 to 49.7).

No matter how anyone wants to break up the numbers, James and Jordan are virtually inseparable in terms of their impact and importance in NBA history.

This is the 11th different statistical NBA record between the regular season and playoffs that James has set in his storied career. He is already the league's all-time leader in points scored, minutes played, playoff games, playoff points and playoff field goals.

James has built up a sizable lead in most career 20-point games with 1,257. Karl Malone (1,134) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,122) are the only other players with at least 1,000 games scoring 20 points.