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Durant moves into seventh on NBA scoring charts
Kevin Durant became the seventh-highest scorer in NBA history on Friday, eclipsing the legendary Wilt Chamberlain, though his 30-point effort wasn't enough to secure a win for the Houston Rockets against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The milestone moment
The 37-year-old Durant now has 31,435 career points, placing him just ahead of Chamberlain's 31,419. LeBron James remains the league's all-time leader with 42,601 points.
The Trail Blazers held off the Rockets with a 111-105 victory at Portland's Moda Center, despite Durant's standout performance.
Chamberlain's unmatched legacy
Chamberlain, who passed away in 1999, still holds the record for the most points scored in a single NBA game-100-achieved in 1962. That season, he averaged an unprecedented 50.4 points per game, a benchmark that remains untouched.
The Hall of Famer won two NBA championships, one with the Philadelphia 76ers and another with the Los Angeles Lakers, and led the league in scoring when he retired in 1973.
"You see the numbers. You just can't comprehend somebody putting up 50 a game with 25 rebounds. You want to compete with that and try to match that as much as you can. It's amazing just being in the top 10 with him, but to have the opportunity to pass him up, it's pretty sweet."
Kevin Durant
Other Friday night results
Giannis Antetokounmpo made a decisive impact in the Milwaukee Bucks' 105-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, blocking a shot by LeBron James and stealing the ball from him on back-to-back possessions in the final minute.
Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors to a dominant 137-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings, posting 27 points and a season-high 10 assists.
The Oklahoma City Thunder staged a second-half comeback, erasing a 21-point deficit to edge the Memphis Grizzlies 117-116.
All-time NBA scoring leaders
- LeBron James* - 42,601
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 38,387
- Karl Malone - 36,928
- Kobe Bryant - 33,643
- Michael Jordan - 32,292
- Dirk Nowitzki - 31,560
- Kevin Durant* - 31,435
- Wilt Chamberlain - 31,419
- Shaquille O'Neal - 28,596
- James Harden* - 28,563
*Active player
