On October 28, 2009, Kevin Durant and James Harden shared an NBA floor for the first time.

Durant, already a rising star in his third season, poured in 25 points. Harden, a rookie still finding his place, scored five points in 13 minutes off the bench. The Oklahoma City Thunder won comfortably, and almost nobody inside the arena that night could have imagined what that shared moment would eventually represent.

Sixteen years later, they meet again, Harden’s Clippers visiting Durant’s Rockets, not as young teammates, but as two of the 10 greatest scorers in NBA history.

The same court.
Different jerseys.
And nearly 56,000 career points combined added since that first night.

From Thunder Roots to All-Time Greatness

Since that 2009 opener:

• James Harden has scored 28,298 additional points
• Kevin Durant has added 27,531 more

Their journeys began together in Oklahoma City, but their scoring arcs could not have unfolded more differently.

Durant arrived as a franchise centerpiece almost immediately. Harden arrived as a complementary piece, a luxury sixth man whose full potential wouldn’t be unlocked until later.

Now, both sit inside the NBA’s top 10 all-time scoring list, meeting for the first time with that distinction attached to both names.

Durant reached 31,000 career points, becoming the eighth player in league history to do so.
One day later, Harden passed Carmelo Anthony to crack the top 10 himself.

Durant summed it up in one word on Instagram: “Legendary.”
Harden responded with his own: “Blessing.”

What Comes Next on the All-Time List

These milestones aren’t static, they’re still moving.

Kevin Durant’s Climb

At his current average of 25.3 points per game, Durant could rise rapidly:

• 369 points from passing Wilt Chamberlain for 7th
• 510 points from passing Dirk Nowitzki for 6th
• 1,242 points from passing Michael Jordan for 5th

With 61 games remaining, Durant could realistically climb as high as fifth all-time this season.

James Harden’s Next Step

Harden’s path is more compact but still historic:

• 294 points away from passing Shaquille O’Neal for 9th
• At 26.8 points per game, that’s roughly 11 games

The next major milestone, 30,000 career points, sits 1,697 points away, likely pushing that achievement into next season.

Same Destination, Different Roads

Durant’s scoring trajectory spiked early. Harden’s lagged, by design.

In Oklahoma City, Harden came off the bench. Durant carried the offense. But that imbalance vanished in 2012, when Harden was traded to Houston.

That move changed everything.

Once given full control, Harden’s scoring curve exploded upward, a steep rise that coincided with:

• Kia MVP (2017–18)
• Three straight scoring titles (2018–2020)
• A historic 36.1 points per game in 2018–19, the seventh-highest single-season average ever, topped only by Wilt Chamberlain (five times) and Michael Jordan

Houston wasn’t just a team change for Harden.
It was a transformation.

Harden: The Peak Scorer

Harden’s offensive style is surgical and ruthless:

• Isolation dominance
• The stepback three
• Deep-range shooting
• Free throw generation at elite volume
• Elite playmaking layered into scoring gravity

Statistically, his peaks separate him:

• 25 games of 50+ points (tied with Kobe Bryant, third all-time)
• 107 games of 40+ points (fourth all-time)
• Second all-time in 3-pointers made (3,256)
• Fifth all-time in free throws made (8,343)

Harden chased efficiency at scale, layups, threes, and free throws, and abandoned the mid-range long before it became fashionable to do so.

Durant: The Consistency King

If Harden owns the peaks, Durant owns the runway.

Durant is the definition of a three-level scorer:

• Elite mid-range shot-maker
• High-volume three-point shooter
• Efficient finisher using length and touch

Among players with at least 500 career games, Durant ranks:

• Fourth all-time in scoring average (27.2)
• Trailing only Jordan, Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor

He owns four scoring titles, tied for the third-most ever, and is on pace to average 25+ points for a 17th straight season, a feat matched only by LeBron James.

Durant’s balance shows up everywhere:

• 8,485 two-point field goals made (24th all-time)
• 2,224 three-pointers made (12th)
• 7,409 free throws made (7th)

Longevity plus consistency.
Nightly reliability.
Minimal decline.

Different Styles, Same Greatness

Durant lives in the mid-range, a zone Harden largely abandoned in pursuit of efficiency. Durant is on pace for a fifth straight top-five finish in mid-range field goals made, bending defenses in spaces most scorers no longer inhabit.

Harden, meanwhile, bent the league toward math.

Two philosophies.
Two approaches.
One result.

Top-10 all-time scorers.

Their careers prove there is no single blueprint for offensive greatness, only relentless work, adaptability, and sustained dominance.

From Teammates to Time Capsules

They were once young Thunder teammates with unfinished roles.

They reunited briefly in Brooklyn, chasing a title that slipped away.

Now, they meet again as legends, sharing the floor not as complements — but as historical peers.

The box score tonight won’t define them.
The moment already has.

Two careers.
Two paths.
One list.

And still, more history left to write.