Overview
- Durant hit the mark early in the first quarter against Phoenix with two free throws followed by a 10-foot turnaround jumper at 6:15.
- He finished with 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting in three quarters as Houston won 117-98; Amen Thompson scored a season-high 31.
- Postgame totals put Durant at 31,024 career points, joining a group that includes LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and Wilt Chamberlain.
- At his current scoring pace, projections indicate he could pass Chamberlain (31,419) and Nowitzki (31,560) this season, with Jordan (32,292) possible if he stays healthy.
- After an offseason seven-team trade to Houston and a reported two-year, $90 million extension, coach Ime Udoka praised Durant’s longevity and efficiency as the Rockets sit No. 2 in the West.