Kevin Durant’s climb up the NBA’s all-time scoring list reached a milestone Sunday night that carries special significance in Dallas, as one of the game’s modern greats moved past one of the Mavericks’ most iconic figures.
Late in the Houston Rockets’ 119-110 win, Durant calmly converted two free throws to reach 31,562 career points, officially passing Dirk Nowitzki for sixth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Nowitzki finished his Hall of Fame career with 31,560 points.
While the margin was slim, the moment was anything but small. Nowitzki’s scoring résumé defined an era in Dallas, and being the player to move past him places Durant in rare historical territory.
Kevin Durant Reflects on Passing a Childhood Idol
For Durant, the achievement carried a personal layer that went beyond the standings on a statistical leaderboard. He acknowledged Nowitzki’s influence on his own development and spoke candidly about what the moment meant.
“To be up there with Dirk, somebody I looked up to, I idolized, I competed against,” Durant said. “We had some great battles. He always was supportive of my career and my game. So, you know to be up there with a legend like that, it’s just insane. And be right under Michael Jordan, it’s crazy man.
“I want to continue to keep stacking, keep climbing up the charts, just see how I finish. It’s been amazing so far.”
Durant now sits directly behind Michael Jordan, who ranks fifth with 32,292 career points — a gap of 730 points that feels increasingly attainable given Durant’s sustained production.
Dirk Nowitzki Offers Humor and High Praise
Nowitzki, who spent his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks, addressed the milestone in a video message played inside Toyota Center after the game. True to form, his congratulations came with a playful edge.
“Not super happy about him passing me,” Nowitzki said. “But no, seriously, to me, he is one of the purest, smoothest scorers the game has ever seen.”
He expanded on what has made Durant so difficult to defend throughout his career.
“For me, he’s one of the purest, smoothest scorers the game has ever seen. A seven footer — even though he says he’s not — with a two guard’s game… The shot making, the off the dribble stuff, the off balance stuff, I mean there’s really nothing you can do to stop him on on one.”
Nowitzki, now 47 and long retired, closed his message by encouraging Durant to keep climbing.
“Congrats, KD, keep it going, move up a couple more spots,” he said.
Another Milestone in Kevin Durant’s Hall of Fame Career
Durant scored 18 points in the win, reaching the milestone in his 18th NBA season and with his fifth franchise. At 37, he is averaging 26.1 points in 38 games this season, showing no signs of slowing down as the list ahead of him continues to shrink.
For Mavericks fans, the moment served as a reminder of Nowitzki’s enduring legacy — and how exclusive the company is for anyone capable of passing him. As Durant’s ascent continues, the overlap between two generational scorers underscores just how rare and historic this chapter truly is.
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