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Durant reaches 29,000 career points, on pace for 30,000
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Durant reaches 29,000 career points, on pace for 30,000

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Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant thanked everyone but himself as he reflected on reaching 29,000 career points in Saturday’s 114-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks at the Footprint Center.

“I have to thank the people who have helped me since I was a kid and taught me the game,” Durant said. “Teammates who gave me the ball set screens for me. Coaches who drew plays for me. When I do things like that, I often think about it.”

With 29,010 points, Durant became only the eighth player in NBA history to reach that 29,000 milestone, joining LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and Wilt Chamberlain.

“I’m just grateful that I had such great people in my life who helped me and lifted me up when I needed it,” Durant continued. “It encouraged me. I had teammates and that only helped build my love for the game. I am so grateful to them.”

Durant scored 31 points in Saturday’s win, including 11 in the fourth quarter. Durant shot 4-of-8 from 3, also grabbed nine rebounds and committed just one turnover in 39 minutes.

“I’m ashamed to say I don’t know how many people have reached that number, but I suspect it’s a very small number, so what a tribute to a great generational talent,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I feel incredibly lucky to be around him every day. He just gets into great spots to be able to shoot and score against sometimes great defenses. Like some of his deep 3s, his early 3s. I loved him on stage. He competed on both sides. A great night for him.”

Durant will look to add to those totals in Monday’s rematch against the Los Angeles Lakers at 7 p.m. at the Footprint Center. The Lakers rallied from 22 points behind to stun the Suns in Los Angeles on Friday.

“He’s playing well,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said of Durant. “We try to make it difficult, and he is one of the best players in the world. He came down and took advantage of some of our mistakes, but some of the shots he made tonight were tough, but that’s what he does.”

How long will it take for Durant to reach 30,000?

The seven players before him all surpassed 30,000, while James reached 40,000 to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

James and Durant are the only two active players in the all-time top 10.

Durant is ninth in the NBA in scoring at 28.7 through three games this season after back-to-back 30-point games on Friday against the Lakers and Saturday against the Mavs.

He needs 990 points to reach 30,000.

If Durant stays healthy and averages 28.7 per night, he will reach 30,000 in the next 34 to 35 games.

Looking at the schedule and calendar, the Suns are in the first half of a five-game road trip that begins Jan. 14 in Atlanta and ends Jan. 16 in Washington.

It would be crazy if Durant reaches 30,000 against the Wizards in his hometown of Washington, DC

The Suns then play in Detroit on January 18, Cleveland on January 20 and conclude the five-game trip on January 22 at Brooklyn, his previous team. The Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and multiple first-round picks to the Nets to get him.

That could be even crazier if Durant were to make history there.

Do you have an opinion on the current state of the suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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