Kevin Durant put on a spectacle last night with the highest-scoring performance we’ve seen this season, dropping 51 points en route to the Brooklyn Nets 116-104 win over the Detroit Pistons. Durant was unstoppable last night, shooting 16-31 from the field while dishing out nine assists, grabbing seven boards, blocking two shots, and knocking down five three-pointers.
KD has now surpassed Stephen Curry for the highest single-game scoring performance of the season. In November, Curry dropped 50, hitting nine three-pointers on 14-28 shooting from the field in the Golden State Warriors’ 127-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Most elite scorer of all-time? (via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/yfqhf0UHjp
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 13, 2021
The two-time Finals MVP’s performance in the Motor City set the record for most points scored in Little Caesars Arena; Nets teammate and former Piston forward Blake Griffin previously held the record with 50.
With James Harden sitting out of Sunday’s game for rest, the Nets continuously turned to Durant throughout the entirety of his 41 minutes on the court. Durant’s MVP-caliber performance tied him with Caris LeVert and Vince Carter for fifth-most in a single game in Nets history with his seventh all-time 50-piece.
“We’re missing James (Harden), we’re missing Paul Millsap, so I felt like I had to pick up the scoring a little more,” Durant said in his postgame interview. “This team, Detroit, was playing back in the pick and roll, they wasn’t doubling as often as other teams, so I just tried to take advantage.”
