Kevin Durant gets candid about missing the 31,000-point club

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant four points shy of joining one of basketball’s most exclusive clubs against the Sacramento Kings, and he didn’t hide it how close miss stung.

When the reporter recorded it Durant had only four points from becoming the eighth player in NBA history to reach 31,000 career points, Durant paused and shook his head.

“Damn, I could have done it tonight,” he said.

Moments later, he admitted the “hell yeah” milestone is still important to him, calling it “crazy” to be close to a mark shared by only a few legends.

“Every time I reach these milestones, I think about my teammates and the journey I’ve been through.”@KDTrei5 reflects on how tonight he JUST missed his goal of becoming the 8th player in NBA history to reach 31,000 career points!

How many more points does he need? 4 👀 pic.twitter.com/R9ukV4ioVm

— NBA (@NBA) December 4, 2025

Still, Durant’s focus after Houston’s 121-95 win over Sacramento was squarely on shaping the Rockets’ identity. Houston improved to 14-5 behind a hitting attack that overwhelmed the Kings’ smaller lineups. The Rockets attempted just four 3-pointers after halftime and just 16 for the game, choosing instead to chase high-percentage shots at the rim. They finished with a whopping 78 points in the paint and a 62-32 edge on the glass.

“The color was open, so why roll threes?” Durant said, pointing to Houston’s ability to dictate the interior all night.

The Rockets turned back the clock against the Kings

Durant had 24 points and eight assists with no turnovers, helping orchestrate a third-quarter surge that turned a one-point deficit into a run. Alperen Sengun had 28 points and 10 rebounds as he reached 5,000 career points. Amen Thompson added 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, repeatedly getting into the lane and speeding up the game.

Durant highlighted the contributions of his teammates throughout his career and in Houston’s current rotation, singling out the protection and rebounding of Steven Adams, along with the versatility of Josh Okogie.

“Every time I hit milestones, I think about my teammates and the road,” he said. “A lot of people have invested in my life and career and I owe them a lot.”

But on a night when he dominated without relying on long-range shooting, his looming turning point underscored something bigger: Durant is chasing history while helping build a Rockets team that is learning how to win by controlling the most fundamental area of ​​the floor.

Houston is the next host for Phoenix, and Durant is now just four points away from etching his name deeper into NBA history.