Kevin Durant moved into fifth place on the NBA all-time scoring list by surpassing Michael Jordan during the Houston Rockets' 123-122 win over the Miami Heat on Saturday night. The 37-year-old scored the record-breaking points with a corner three-pointer assisted by Reed Sheppard. Durant now trails only LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant.
In a close contest at the Rockets' home game against the Miami Heat, Kevin Durant entered needing 25 points to tie Michael Jordan's career total of 32,292. Averaging 25.7 points per game this season, Durant scored 11 points in the first half amid a tight battle. He added 10 in the third quarter, then hit a three-pointer with 4:42 left to reach 24 points. With 3:23 remaining, Durant drained a corner three off a pass from Reed Sheppard to pass Jordan and claim fifth place overall. The Rockets celebrated with a highlight video of Durant's career moments, from his Seattle SuperSonics days to Warriors championships. Durant had previously passed Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki earlier this season. Reflecting on the milestone, Durant said, 'It is pretty sweet. To be in the same category as some of the greats... MJ is in a world of his own. He's in a planet and galaxy of his own as somebody that I look up to, respect and who basically shaped the game for me.' He called Jordan the blueprint and noted Kobe Bryant is next, 1,349 points ahead at 33,643. At 37, Durant remains efficient, scoring over 25 points per game while contributing positively to his team.
