PORTLAND, Ore. — Kevin Durant handed Wilt Chamberlain for seventh on the NBA’s profession scoring listing Friday night time when he made a 3-pointer for the Houston Rockets within the third quarter of their 111-105 loss to the Portland Path Blazers.
Durant wanted 15 factors going into the sport to eclipse Chamberlain, who scored 31,419. Durant’s jumper with 7:57 left within the third gave him 31,422.
Dirk Nowitzki is sixth on the profession listing with 31,560 factors.
“To be amongst the greats is at all times an honour,” Durant stated after the sport. “Wilt is any individual I studied and tried to look as much as as a lot as I can, a participant like that. Like I at all times say, he set a regular for NBA gamers and (I am) grateful to achieve that — and impressed by what he produced for the sport of basketball.”
Durant, 37, is in his 18th NBA season and is a 15-time All-Star. He completed Friday’s recreation with 30 factors and 12 rebounds, additionally surpassing 8,000 profession rebounds.
“No, it would not amaze me if you see the work ethic and what he does on a day-to-day foundation,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka stated earlier than Friday night time’s recreation about Durant’s impending milestone.
Blazers coach Tiago Splitter stated he remembered being impressed by Durant when he was a younger participant with Oklahoma Metropolis.
“Only a younger Kevin Durant, scoring 30 each night time, and he simply retains doing that, which is wonderful,” Splitter stated. “At his age, after all, he is most likely on the finish of his profession, however simply doing that each night time is simply spectacular.”
When the scoring achievement was introduced to followers on the Moda Middle throughout the recreation, Durant was rewarded with heat applause and a hug from Splitter.
“These milestones at all times have me reflecting on the those that helped me get up to now — the journey that I have been by means of, the shut calls and the issues that might have went left loads of occasions in my life,” Durant stated. “So to be right here, very, very grateful, and Portland is such a cultured, elegant metropolis for recognizing me in that second and honoring me.”
