Kevin Durant became the NBA’s seventh top scorer this Friday, surpassing the 31,419 points of the legendary Wilt Chamberlain, on a night in which Luka Doncic, sent off for six fouls, lost the duel between European stars against Giannis Antetokounmpo. In addition, James Harden returned to Brooklyn with 31 points to inflict another defeat on the Nets of Spanish coach Jordi Fernández, sunk in the Eastern Conference.
At 37 years old, Durant added a new record to his list by improving Chamberlain’s scoring mark thanks to his 30 points scored with the Houston Rockets at the Portland Trail Blazers’ field.
The double NBA champion now has in his goal the 31,560 points of German Dirk Nowitzki, the sixth highest scorer in NBA history. The leader of this classification is LeBron James. KD also captured twelve rebounds, but could not prevent his team’s 111-105 defeat against the Blazers, in which Toumani Camara scored 25 points.
Giannis frena a Doncic
At the Crypto.com Arena, Luka Doncic’s Lakers lost their second consecutive game, this time against Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks. Doncic, who had scored 38 points in Wednesday’s loss in San Antonio, finished the game with 24 points (8 of 25 on field goals), nine rebounds and nine assists. His game ended with a foul against Kevin Porter Jr that sent him to take three free kicks, decisive for the Bucks’ victory. It was the third six-foul ejection of Doncic’s career.
LeBron James reappeared after his loss from San Antonio with 26 points, nine rebounds and ten assists, without an award for the Lakers. Antetokounmpo had 21 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Bucks, eleventh in the East (17-21).
OKC overshadows Aldama’s 15 points
The losses of Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein did not prevent the Thunder from overcoming a 21-point deficit on their visit to the Memphis Grizzlies, who wasted Santi Aldama’s fifteen points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
The Canarian connected six of his nine field goals in 28 minutes on the court for Memphis. Jalen Williams led OKC with a double double of 26 points and ten assists, supported by Ajay Mitchell’s 23.
OKC leads the West with a record of 32-7. Further down the table, the Golden State Warriors feasted at the Chase Center against a sinking Sacramento Kings, who lost their sixth consecutive game.
Victory for Hugo González, defeat for Jordi Fernández
Hugo González, chosen with the absolute number 28 in the last draft, added other quality minutes with the Boston Celtics and contributed with five points, four rebounds and a block in his team’s 125-117 victory against the Toronto Raptors.
González connected two of the three field goals taken in the 18 minutes on the court coming off the bench that coach Joe Mazzulla gave him.
The Celtics were led by Payton Pritchard with 27 points and eight assists, and Jaylen Brown contributed 25 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, to place second in the East (24-13), behind the Detroit Pistons (28-9).
Boston is second alone after the defeat suffered by the New York Knicks in the field of the Phoenix Suns. The New Yorkers are going through a difficult time and have lost five of their last six games.
It was another difficult night for Jordi Fernández’s Brooklyn Nets, who fell 105-121 at home against the Los Angeles Clippers before 31 points from James Harden, their former player, and 26 from Kawhi Leonard.
The Nets are second to last in the East and have only won five of the twenty games played at home.
