There's something almost cruel about what happened in Portland on Friday night. Kevin Durant surpassed Wilt Chamberlain for seventh on the NBA's all-time scoring list—a genuinely historic moment—and his team still lost.
The 3-pointer fell with 7:57 left in the third quarter. Durant needed 15 points to pass the Big Dipper's 31,419 career mark. The shot gave him 31,422. The Moda Center crowd, wearing opposing colors, offered warm applause anyway.
"To be amongst the greats is always an honor," Durant said afterward. "Wilt is somebody I studied and tried to look up to as much as I can."
He finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds. The Rockets lost 111-105. Portland outscored Houston 34-15 in the fourth quarter. That's the kind of collapse that makes you wonder if the basketball gods have a sense of irony.
Durant's first season in Houston has been a fascinating exercise in what happens when you put a 37-year-old legend on a team still figuring itself out. He's averaging somewhere around 25 points per game, his jumper remains one of the sport's most beautiful weapons, and he just became the seventh-highest scorer in league history. Yet the Rockets are learning hard lessons about how to close games.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka, before the game, refused to be amazed by what Durant was about to accomplish. His reasoning? He sees Durant's work ethic every single day.
"No, it doesn't amaze me when you see the work ethic and what he does on a day-to-day basis," Udoka said.
Next on Durant's list: Dirk Nowitzki at 31,560 points. Given his current scoring pace, he could pass the Dallas legend before February. Then it's Michael Jordan at 32,292. Then Kobe Bryant at 33,643.
Durant has climbed this list with remarkable speed. This season alone, he passed Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, Carmelo Anthony, Shaquille O'Neal, and now Chamberlain. That's six legendary names in roughly half a season.
The math says he could eventually catch LeBron James at 42,575. The reality says that's still an Everest-sized gap.
Meanwhile, Memphis is listening
While Durant was making history, the Grizzlies were making news. ESPN's Shams Charania reported Thursday that Memphis is entertaining trade offers for Ja Morant ahead of the February 5 deadline.
This is the first time the organization has actively engaged other teams in Morant discussions since drafting him second overall in 2019.
The numbers tell a troubling story. Morant has played only 18 of Memphis's 37 games this season due to injuries and a one-game team suspension stemming from a November confrontation with coach Tuomas Iisalo. He's shooting a career-low 40.1% from the field and 20.8% from three—numbers that would concern scouts even without the off-court context.
According to multiple reports, the Heat, Timberwolves, Kings, and Clippers have shown interest. The Grizzlies want young players and draft picks in return. They're also open to keeping Morant and building around him alongside Jaren Jackson Jr.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: Memphis is 6-12 with Morant in the lineup and 10-9 without him.
That's not entirely fair to Morant—he's been dealing with injuries and clearly isn't 100%—but it's also not nothing. The Grizzlies' young core of Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells, and Cam Spencer has stepped up in Morant's absence. They have options.
Whether those options include trading away a player who was considered a future MVP candidate just three years ago remains to be seen. But the fact that we're even having this conversation tells you how much has changed in Memphis.
The rest of today's headlines
Timberwolves vs. Cavaliers tonight offers a compelling matchup between two teams trying to prove their October success wasn't a mirage. Minnesota needs this kind of test after an inconsistent stretch.
And yes, referee Bill Kennedy left a game earlier this week in a wheelchair after an apparent injury on the court. He's reportedly okay, but the image was jarring. Officiating is physically demanding work that rarely gets acknowledged until something like this happens.
The NBA trade deadline is less than a month away. Durant is climbing lists. Morant's future is uncertain. The league never stops being interesting, even when your favorite team loses by six after blowing a 13-point fourth-quarter lead.
Just ask Houston.