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As the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks faced off, Kevin Durant entered his name into historic territory once again. With his 22nd point of the evening on a contested three-point jump shot, Durant eclipsed the 29,000-point mark. Once again, Durant showed why he's revered as a great in the league. He became one of seven people to score 29,000 points in league history.
Immediately after the game, Durant reflected on the accomplishment and had a heart of gratitude.
“Man… it speaks to so many people who helped me, so many people who got in the gym with me,” Durant said. People encouraging me, sending me texts after bad games, took time out of their lives to come and watch me play. It's all about them. I'm glad I'm able to do it with this group of guys and in front of this crowd. I've got more to do.”
Durant isn't joking. He's close to hitting 30,000 points and could pass Wilt Chamberlain as the seventh-highest scorer of all time. Chamberlain 31,419, and Durant is at 29,010. If the Slim Reaper catches the former Lakers big man, he'll need to average 29.4 points for the rest of the season. That's also including that Durant plays in every single game.
Kevin Durant put on a masterclass for the Suns en route to 29,000 points
Once again, Durant made scoring look easy. From hesitation dribbles to pull-ups, to isolation on bigger forwards and centers, he did about everything in Saturday's victory. The Phoenix forward has 31 points, nine rebounds, and two assists while shooting 10-for-21 and 4-for-8 from three. He consistently talked trash Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and gave the “too small” gesture.
On the sidelines was his head coach, Mike Budenholzer. The NBA championship-winning coach has seen a flurry of talent since making his mark in the league. Even now, he's amazed by Durant's commitment to the game of basketball. After the game, Budenholzer spoke on the growing legacy and consistency of the Suns forward.
“First, credit to Kevin Durant; 29,000,” Budenholzer said. “I am embarrassed to say I don't know how many people have reached that number, but I'm guessing it's a very small number. What a tribute to a great generational talent. I feel incredibly
lucky to be around him every day.
“He just gets to great spots to be able to shoot and score against really great defense. Some of his deep threes, his early threes, I thought he was great on the boards. I don't know what he finished with, but I thought he competed on both ends and just a great night for him.”
The 2014 NBA MVP, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, and a multiple-time Gold Medalist are glimpses of Durant's resume. That alone would make many NBA players content. However, Durant wants to keep chasing greatness. After Stephen A. Smith called out Durant's leadership, it's safe to say that he remains committed to basketball. His personal accomplishments might be important, but bringing Phoenix's first championship to the city could prove more important than anything.
