Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant entered Friday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets needing 33 points to pass Shaquille O’Neal on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Everything was lining up for Durant, who had just had a four-game streak of 35-plus points snapped the game prior, to pass Shaq then. However, it is now two games later and Durant still sits in ninth place.
The Suns (39-29) did defeat the Hornets 107-96, but Durant only had 13 points on 5-of-15 shooting.
Today, he had an even better opportunity to pass Shaq, needing only 20 points. However, he only scored a season-low 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting as the Suns fell 140-129 to the Milwaukee Bucks, who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo. Durant only attempted one shot in the entire fourth quarter and had three points on 1-of-4 shooting in the second half. In the last three games, Durant only has four combined points in the fourth quarter on 2-of-7 shooting.
Suns’ fans and even the announcers on the game were wondering why in the world Durant, who is fourth in the NBA with an average of 27.8 points per game, was not putting up or making shots.
“My shots don’t matter. I mean, we got 120-something points tonight. Grayson (Allen) took my spot scoring tonight,” Durant told AZ Central’s Duane Rankin postgame. “I had to do other s—. We got ourselves back into the game, but they hit tough shots to finish.”
Allen, who averages 13.2 points per game, finished with 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting in his return to Milwaukee.
“We too concerned with how many points I’m scoring,” Durant continued. “We won the game last game; we scored (129) points this game, it shouldn’t be just about what I’m doing. Offense going to come. We got a nice team that can all score. Grayson can go off and get nine 3s. Book (Devin Booker) and Brad (Bradley Beal), we know what they can do. My number ain’t gonna be called every night, and I ain’t going to make the shots every night, get 30 every night, you know what I’m saying?”
The Bucks scored 82 points in the first half and tied an NBA record with 18 3-pointers made in the half. In the end, Milwaukee went 24-of-41 from 3, while the Suns were 14-of-33.
“Defensively, we lost this game,” Durant said. “They made more 3s than us, they got hot in the first half. My shot attempts and my points, I know that’s the talking point, but we scored enough points in my opinion.”
"Grayson took my spot scoring. I had to do other shit. We got ourselves back in the game."
Kevin Durant 11 points, took 1 shot in 4th of #Suns loss to #Bucks.
"Defensively, we lost this game. My shot attempts, my points, I know it's a talking point but we scored enough points." pic.twitter.com/cH1YcXKC3h
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 17, 2024
Durant now has this number to pass O’Neal down to nine for Phoenix’s next matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday, but the Suns have a lot more to worry about. Phoenix is now in eighth place in the Western Conference after the loss and a Dallas win today.
With only 14 games left and the team pretty much fully healthy, how will the Suns get Durant more involved?
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
