Durant surpasses Jordan to become 5th on all-time scoring list! Among active players, only James ranks higher; next season he may overtake Kobe.

On March 22 Beijing time, during the fourth quarter of the Rockets vs Heat game, Durant scored his 27th point of the night, surpassing Jordan (career total 32292 points) and rising to 5th place on the historical scoring list. Ahead of him are James, Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, and Kobe. Among active players, Durant's scoring total is only lower than James.

At 37 years old, Durant has maintained a hot scoring pace throughout his career: multiple seasons with average points ranking high in the league, combined with exceptionally long career endurance, have gradually brought him to this point. "It feels great to stand alongside historical legends," Durant said. "These predecessors dedicated so much to basketball and have inspired me to keep playing."

Like most of his peers, Durant did not witness Jordan's peak years. He mostly learned about Jordan through videos and sneakers. However, Durant grew up in Washington D.C., and he mentioned that he personally watched Jordan's final season with the Wizards.

"I still remember the狂热 atmosphere in the arena and the entire city. The admiration everyone had for Michael was unique."

Unique天赋 has created an unstoppable Durant. He is one of the few all-around scorers in the league:精通 at finishing under the basket, mid-range shots, three-pointers, dribble isolation, and catch-and-shoot. Over the past two decades, his scoring efficiency has remained high; even top defensive players find it difficult to限制 him.

Durant won the scoring title four times in five years (2009-2012, 2013-2014). He averaged over 30 points per game in two seasons, and never averaged below 20 points in any single season throughout his career. Since his rookie season in 2007-08, he has never averaged below 25 points.

Many stars experience a sharp decline in performance towards the end of their careers, but Durant seems unlikely to follow that pattern. In his first season with the Rockets, he still averaged 25.7 points per game and remained a key defensive target for opponents.

NBA官网 listed six era-specific factors behind Durant's scoring surge—

Lower scoring门槛, faster pace

This week, 35 players in the league average 20+ points per game; 25 years ago, only 25 players achieved that over an entire season. Nowadays games are faster-paced with better spacing, players更容易获得 isolation opportunities and open shots, leading to higher scoring efficiency.

Three-pointers become mainstream weapon

Three-point shooting is now an essential scoring method, but legends like Jordan, Bird, and West were not known for their three-point prowess. Jordan made only 581 three-pointers in his career. Even with 2000 fewer total attempts, Durant's ability to surpass Jordan owes much to three-pointers.

Traditional内线凋零

Low-post重型 centers have almost disappeared. Among the top 30 scorers this season, only Jokic and Wembanyama are centers. The league has become perimeter-oriented, giving forwards like Durant more shooting opportunities.

Rule reforms, reduced对抗

The league removed restrictions on hand-check fouls, weakening game对抗. Moves like dribble crossovers and hesitation steps are legalized, making it easier for offensive players to突破得分.

Offensive技巧革新

Techniques like the Euro step, gather step, and step-back have become widespread, allowing offensive players to更容易创造 space and放大 scoring advantages.

Longer职业生涯

Modern医疗, training, and后勤 are more advanced. Stars can play into their 30s and 40s while maintaining form, extending their scoring careers.

Returning to Durant himself. After surpassing Jordan, four giants remain ahead: James, Abdul-Jabbar, Malone, and Kobe, who are still active or historically ranked.He有望超越 Kobe (33643 points) next season; maintaining his current form, he could追上 Malone (36928 points) in two years. But surpassing Abdul-Jabbar (38387 points) is extremely difficult. He would need to play 65 games per season averaging 25 points after age 40 for another four seasons.

Asked about this goal two months ago, Durant admitted: "I don't know if I can play another 270 games averaging 25 points. I won't say it's absolutely impossible, but those前辈的门槛 are too high. To reach历史前三 or前四, you need至少 play 20 years and maintain peak form for 15-20 years."

"My想法很简单: play longer, play over 20 years. Let it happen naturally, wherever it goes. Reaching a high position is great; if not, I just want to play basketball well."

It's clear that Durant loves basketball and wants to keep playing. Perhaps before his form declines, his body can still support him to continue刷新纪录.