Rockets' Kevin Durant Passes Dirk Nowitzki For Sixth All Time

Kevin Durant passed Dirk Nowitzki to move into sixth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list in Sunday’s win over New Orleans, joining the tier behind LeBron, Kareem, Karl Malone, Kobe, and Michael Jordan. Durant called the moment "means a lot" and said he wants "to continue to keep stacking, keep climbing up the charts," signaling he plans to keep chasing milestones at age 37. Merlin sees a veteran still in love with the craft. Durant praised Dirk — "I idolized, I competed against" — and the path ahead is clear: Jordan and Kobe are within reach, Malone looks like a taller mountain that might require playing into his 40s, and LeBron’s longevity offers a blueprint. Expect more counting of points and quiet accumulation.