**PHOENIX** – Kevin Durant led the Phoenix Suns to a 114-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks on October 26, scoring 31 points and grabbing nine rebounds. With this performance, Durant became the eighth player in NBA history to surpass 29,000 career points, finishing with a total of 29,010.
The two-time NBA champion, now 36, credited his success to those who supported him throughout his career, saying, “I have to acknowledge everyone who has helped me since I was a kid—teammates who passed me the ball, set screens for me, and coaches who designed plays for me.”
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer praised Durant as a “great, generational talent” and expressed how fortunate he feels to work with him daily.
Devin Booker contributed 21 points, Jusuf Nurkic added 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Ryan Dunn chipped in 13 points for the Suns. For the Mavericks, Luka Doncic was the standout performer with 40 points and 10 rebounds, while Kyrie Irving scored 22 points and Klay Thompson added 19.
Phoenix shot 45% from the field, hitting 14 of 39 three-pointers, despite being without Bradley Beal (elbow injury) and Grayson Allen (absent for the birth of his child). The Mavericks managed to convert 39.8% of their field-goal attempts, making 13 of 41 from beyond the arc, with both Doncic and Thompson hitting five threes each.
After trailing by eight at halftime, Dallas started the third quarter strong, narrowing the gap to 68-67. However, Phoenix responded with a 15-4 run, highlighted by Durant’s fadeaway jumper that extended the lead to 83-71 with just over four minutes left in the quarter.
Entering the final quarter with a 91-80 advantage, the Suns maintained their lead even as the Mavericks closed in. Dunn and Durant hit three-pointers, and Durant completed a three-point play, pushing Phoenix’s lead to 105-90 with 6:44 remaining, solidifying their victory and marking Durant’s milestone.
Phoenix was also effective at the free-throw line, hitting 28 of 37 attempts, while Dallas made 15 of 18.
In another game, the Los Angeles Clippers triumphed 109-104 over the Denver Nuggets, thanks in large part to Norman Powell, who scored 22 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter. Powell tied the game with a three-pointer in the final minute, and James Harden added four free throws to secure the win.
“Just locking in, being aggressive, being what the team needed me to be,” Powell reflected on his performance. Harden finished with 23 points and 16 assists, while Ivica Zubac contributed 24 points and 15 rebounds.
Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with a career-high seven three-pointers and 41 points, but missed a crucial attempt to tie the game late. Powell, who won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, expressed confidence in the Clippers even without Kawhi Leonard, who is sidelined due to a knee injury, stating, “We believe in ourselves to compete in games. When Kawhi returns, we’ll be ready to integrate him smoothly.”
Leave a Reply