Kevin Durant becomes the 8th NBA player to reach 29,000 career points, helping the Suns beat the Mavs

PHOENIX (AP) — Kevin Durant became the eighth player in NBA history to score 29,000 career points, reaching the mark Saturday night Phoenix Suns beat Dallas Mavericks 114-102.

The 14-time All-Star scored 31 points against the Mavs and now has 29,010 points in 17 seasons with Seattle, Oklahoma City, Golden State, Brooklyn and the Suns. The 36-year-old has averaged 27.3 points in 1,064 games.

Durant has averaged at least 20 points every season and continues to get the ball to the basket at a high rate, scoring nearly 29 points per game in his first three games this season.

“I have to give credit to the people who have helped me since I was a kid,” Durant said. “Teammates who passed me the ball, set up screens for me, coaches who set up plays for me.”

LeBron James is the NBA's best player with 40,543 points. Behind him are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain and then Durant. Durant is ranked No. 10 on the combined NBA and ABA list, followed by Julius Erving at No. 8 and Moses Malone at No. 9.

“What a tribute to a great generational talent,” said Suns coach Mike Budenholzer. “I feel incredibly lucky to be around him every day.”

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