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

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

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

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

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

LeBron James is the NBA's career scoring leader with 40,543 points. Behind him is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain and then Durant. Durant is 10th on the combined NBA and ABA list, with Julius Erving eighth and Moses Malone ninth.

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

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, right, stares down at the Dallas Mavericks as Tyus Jones, left, pats him on the chest during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives up the middle against Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix.(AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) controls the ball against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates their win over the Dallas Mavericks with Monte Morris (23) in an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Royce O'Neale (00) celebrate after a three-point shot against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

CHICAGO (AP) — Fletcher Loyer scored 19 points, Braden Smith collected 10 more assists and No. 18 Purdue beat No. 11 Nebraska 74-58 on Friday night in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.

C.J. Cox and Oscar Cluff each had 12 points for the Boilermakers, and Trey Kaufman-Renn finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Smith set a Big Ten Tournament record and matched a career high with 16 assists in an 81-68 victory over Northwestern on Thursday. The senior guard needs 22 more assists to break Bobby Hurley's NCAA record of 1,076 assists in 140 games for Duke from 1989-93.

Purdue (25-8) advanced to the Big Ten semifinals for the fourth time in the last five years, bouncing back nicely after closing the regular season with four losses in six games. It will play UCLA or No. 8 Michigan State on Saturday.

Pryce Sandford scored 15 points for Nebraska, which dropped to 6-14 all-time in the Big Ten tourney. Rienk Mast finished with 11.

The Cornhuskers (26-6) went 10 for 31 from 3-point range and 12 for 25 from inside the arc.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Purdue center Oscar Cluff, left, rebounds the ball against Nebraska forwards Pryce Sandfort (21) and Rienk Mast (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Big 10 Conference tournament, Friday, March 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Purdue players celebrate after center Oscar Cluff (not shown) scored a basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Nebraska in the quarterfinals of the Big 10 Conference tournament, Friday, March 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)