Durant passes Nowitzki for 6th place on NBA career scoring list
Kevin Durant scored 18 points and moved into sixth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, while Jabari Smith Jr. tallied a season-high 32 points as the Houston Rockets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 119-110 on Sunday night.
Alperen Sengun contributed 21 points and eight rebounds, and Amen Thompson added 20 points as Houston recorded its third win in four games, News.Az reports, citing AP.
For the Pelicans, Trey Murphy III scored 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting, Zion Williamson added 20 points and six rebounds, and Derik Queen had 15 points. New Orleans has now lost four of its last five games and 13 of 15 overall.
With 15.2 seconds remaining, Durant stepped to the free-throw line needing a single point to surpass Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki (31,560 points) on the NBA scoring list. Durant made both free throws, drawing a standing ovation from the home crowd and bringing his career total to 31,562 points. He trails Michael Jordan, fifth on the list with 32,292 points. A special jumbotron video featured Nowitzki congratulating Durant after the game.
Smith, who had struggled with a 3-for-12 shooting performance in Friday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, bounced back by shooting 11 for 21 and hitting a career-high seven 3-pointers. He also scored 22 points in the first half.
Houston’s Steven Adams had to be helped off the court with an apparent left ankle injury in the fourth quarter. Adams, who previously missed games with a right ankle injury, had 10 rebounds and five points before exiting with under 10 minutes remaining.
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