Durant’s 29,000 Points: A milestone and a beacon for the Suns’ offense

If you’re having scoring problems, I feel bad for you son. KD’s got 99 problems but his jumper ain’t one. Hit me.

It’s been a sluggish start for the Phoenix Suns as they search for ways to consistently fire on all cylinders. Despite the sputtering, the team is 2-1 to start the season following a 114-102 win over the Mavericks. It’s understandable. The team is adjusting to the new Mike Budenholzer system, all while trying to figure out their defensive schemes.

One player who hasn’t had any issues, outside of a few turnovers in the first game of the season, is Kevin Wayne Durant.

Durant is averaging 28.7 points through the Suns’ first three games, doing so on 52.7% from the field, 50% from three-point range, and 80% from the line. He is, in every sense of the word, a walking bucket. There is no hitch in his game, no warmup time needed, no adjustment to the players around him. Simply bounce him the basketball and let him hoop. And hoop he will.

While Devin Booker is trying to jumpstart his game — he’s at 19.7 points on 42.9/43.5/81.3 splits — Durant is just stroking jumpers and hitting key baskets, just when the team needs him to. His three-on-one fadeaway jumper that sent the game to overtime against the Clippers is a reminder that, no matter how difficult the shot, if KD has a chance to take it, he has a chance to make it.

It’s natural to feel frustrated watching Durant rely on isolation basketball in key moments. After all, he has teammates around him who can execute and help put him in an even better position to succeed. But when he hits those impossible shots, you understand why his teammates sometimes just get the hell out of the way and let the chef cook.

His shotmaking prowess was on full display on Saturday night as he led the team with 31 points on 10-of-21 shooting.

Amidst that offensive barrage came a milestone moment: Durant surpassed the 29,000-point mark, joining an elite group in NBA history. He became only the eighth player to reach this achievement, joining legends like LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Wilt Chamberlain. It was a reminder of Durant’s place among the game’s greats, his scoring prowess now etched alongside those who defined entire eras of basketball.

He’s scored 2,236 of those points as a Sun and averaged 27.0 points since arriving in Phoenix.

“I’ve got to give credit to the people who helped me since I was a kid,” Durant said after the game, reflecting on the accomplishment.

A long season lies ahead for the Suns, with countless chapters yet to be written. But one constant will remain: the offensive brilliance of one of the greatest players to ever play the game. Night after night, Durant shows up, putting the ball in the hoop with skill and consistency.

While there may be underlying reasons for KD’s frustration, it’s worth taking a step back to appreciate his greatness and recognize how fortunate we are, as a fanbase, to witness it nightly for our team.