Earlier than Sunday, solely 22 gamers had reached the 25,000-point milestone within the historical past of the NBA. Kevin Durant turned the twenty third member of that membership with a 37-point efficiency in a 126-120 loss to the Boston Celtics. Durant has lengthy been considered by most as one of many best scorers the league has seen. Some folks may even inform you he’s the most effective scoring risk we’ve ever witnessed.
The way in which I view Durant is that he’s probably the most dynamic scorer the NBA has ever produced. I don’t suppose he’s the most effective, although. Sure, finest and dynamic nonetheless have totally different meanings. As a consequence of KD’s measurement and ball-handling expertise, he’s been capable of evolve his sport in such a method that he can rating from any spot on the ground with ease. He may additionally be probably the most proficient scoring risk in any respect three ranges on the courtroom.
I nonetheless rank Michael Jordan as the most effective, having gained 10 scoring titles, averaging 30 or extra factors per sport eight occasions, and doing so in an period the place you possibly can legally have your head taken off driving to the basket. Wilt Chamberlain gained seven scoring titles and had a 50.4ppg season adopted by a 44.8ppg yr. George Gervin and Allen Iverson are the one different gamers with Jordan, Chamberlain, and Durant to take residence 4 NBA scoring titles. That’s a reasonably unique record of gamers within the dialog of best scoring threats with Durant.
This 25k level milestone most likely ought to have occurred a few years in the past for Durant, if not for him lacking important elements of various seasons. KD performed simply 27 video games throughout the 2014-15 season and missed all of 2019-20 (pandemic season) recovering from a torn Achilles.
“It’s fairly cool. I ought to be at 30 [thousand] proper now, to be trustworthy. But it surely’s cool, it’s cool to succeed in that milestone and be amongst the greats. And I simply acquired to maintain pushing and hold going and see the place I find yourself,” Durant stated.
No matter whether or not Durant ought to already be at 30k factors, his 4 scoring titles rank him amongst a number of the best ever to do it. It’s additionally humorous when scrolling down the all-time scorer’s record that the following two lively gamers behind KD in profession factors are James Harden (23,142) and Russell Westbrook (22,982). These three simply can’t escape one another and can without end be linked.
However for Durant, it’s not about factors anymore. The world is aware of he’ll proceed to rack them up, however now it’s about successful one other title. That’s a part of why KD left Golden State for Brooklyn, to do it because the undisputed “man” on a championship staff. Say what you need about Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. That Warriors staff was all the time Curry’s, and it doesn’t matter what KD achieved, it was all the time going to be Steph’s franchise.
Issues are trying relatively bleak in Brooklyn in the intervening time, however all it takes is a little bit mojo to get all people on the identical web page on the identical time, and that championship for the Nets may develop into one thing tangible for KD to know. Scoring all these factors is incredible, however Durant’s basketball legacy will in the end come right down to rings. Durant nonetheless has time to win extra rings and alter the notion about his lack of management.
