Include Kevin Durant to the list of Nba greats who have played out at Harlem’s Rucker Park. And put him higher on the list. The Oklahoma City Thunder forward and ruling NBA scoring champion surprised the crowd by scoring 66 points in the Entertainers Basketball Classic game Monday. “I’ve always wanted to play at Rucker Park all my life,” Durant informed one of the league’s emcees after his DC Power team beat the Sean Bell All-Stars, which highlighted Chicago Bulls guard John Lucas III.
Rucker Park, situated across the street from exactly where the Polo Grounds used to stand, is well known for pickup games and leagues which have counted Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant amongst its guests. Durant fell two points short of the EBC scoring record, set by Steve Burtt Jr. in 2007. Joe (The Destroyer) Hammond is known as keeping the park record of 74 points in a game.
Right after the game, Durant tweeted: “No lie, jus had one of the best times of my life at Rucker park..wow! I love NY…Harlem waddup.” As the NBA lockout has drawn on for much more than a month, some players have hit the streetball circuit to remain in form, with Durant also getting made an appearance in the Drew League in Los Angeles. Durant did not hit everything in the first half, but nonetheless finished with 23 points. He scored seven straight points in the first quarter, including a fall-away 3-pointer along with a slam dunk.
Yet Durant caught fire in the second half, scoring 15 points in the third quarter. He opened up the fourth with a 3-pointer, followed by making one of two free throws. The NBA All-Star added a layup just before lighting up the opposition with a barrage of four 3-pointers while dealing with double- as well as triple-team defenses. final shot made the crowd react by spilling onto the court, mobbing Durant.
DC Power point guard Randy “White Chocolate” Gill has known Durant since the scoring expert was 15 years old. Gill mentioned he took a step back and allow Durant do his thing. “It’s an honor and pleasure playing with the greatest player in the world, Kevin Durant. He’s young and hungry and it makes your job real easy playing with a guy like that,” Gill stated after the game.
“Most of the time, just give him the ball and get out of the way. Go spot up and then when they’re doubling, triple-teaming him, you know he’s even scoring on that. He’s an explosive scorer, a great shooter and the greatest player in the world.”
When play started again, Durant showed he is human by missing his next 3-pointer. Moments afterwards, though, he slammed one home for his 60th point of the game and the crowd once again erupted to the court. “They’re never going to forget that in Harlem,” Gill mentioned.
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