Kevin Durant passed Michael Jordan and climbed to fifth place on the all-time scoring list, and coach Ime Udoka feels that he can very well move up higher on the record books. Durant was a treat to watch during the Houston Rockets’ clash against the Miami Heat, recording 27 points.
But the real game-changer came in the fourth quarter with his straight 3-pointers.
Houston Rockets Coach Ime Udoka Believes Kevin Durant Has More Records to Break
Prior to his record-breaking night, Durant wasn’t on top of his game in some of the outings, especially against the Los Angeles Lakers in two straight defeats. The LeBron James-led Lakers effectively disrupted Durant’s offense in Houston’s 100-92 defeat.
Against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, however, the Rockets bounced back. The anchor of the team and the primary ballhandler snapped Atlanta’s 11-win streak, and Durant’s answers came in the form of 25 points on 60% shooting.
On March 21, the Rockets did it again, edging past the Heat 123-122. Durant made his first 3-pointer to inch closer to Jordan’s tally, then hit another to surpass the legend by two points (32,294), securing fifth place on the all-time scoring list.
Udoka, who was in awe of the luminary’s historic achievement, stated that Durant still has more names, like Jordan’s, to surpass on the all-time list.
“Its an honor for everybody to be a part of that…. Don’t want to make it an afterthought to be top 5 all time in scoring. The efficiency and professionalism he plays with, you kind of take it for granted. Passing a name like MJ is a huge accomplishment. I’m sure he’ll have some more names to chop off next,” Udoka said in the postgame conference.
Durant was not in the best frame of mind after the home loss to the Lakers, committing 7 of the team’s 22 turnovers. He took full responsibility, admitting that he lost the game for his team when he could have made more 3s and been more effective offensively.
The two-time NBA Finals MVP had heard a lot about his “body language” and other factors that were costing his team wins. However, he had a comeback up his alley after the gritty win against the Hawks.
After the win vs. Hawks, Durant sat down for the press conference and, with a grin, fired a series of questions back at the media, asking: “How was the body language tonight? Was it good? How was the vibes? Good vibes?”
The Rockets, currently fourth in the Western Conference, will next face the Chicago Bulls on March 23 and are in a tight race to secure a top seed in the playoffs.
