Kevin Durant becomes 44th player to join 20,000-point club

In this February 11, 2017 photo, Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) goes up for an unopposed dunk in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Oklahoma City. On Wednesday, January 10, 2018, Durant becomes the 44th player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points. Durant has reached the milestone on a pull-up jumper from the left wing at the 1:41 mark of a second quarter game against the Clippers.   (AP FILE PHOTO)

OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant became the 44th player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points on Wednesday night.

Durant reached the milestone on a pull-up jumper from the left wing at the 1:41 mark of second quarter. The Warriors announced his accomplishment on the main scoreboard, and Durant received a standing ovation, shaking his head in acknowledgment while still very much in game mode.

The NBA Finals MVP returned from a three-game absence with a strained right calf and scored 25 points in the first half against the Clippers — KD’s biggest half of the season. He came in needing exactly 25 points for 20,000.

Durant, who had a four-point play during the second quarter on the way to 14 points in the period, is at 29 the second-youngest player behind LeBron James and the first to reach the 20,000 mark as a member of the Warriors.                 /kga