Kevin Durant’s 5 best playmaking games as he ties career-high in assists vs Rockets

Phoenix Suns superstar forward Kevin Durant recorded one of the most well-rounded stat lines of his illustrious 16-year career on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets.

Durant finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds, a career-high-tying 16 assists, two steals and three 3-pointers on 56.3% shooting. The performance marked his 18th career triple-double and his first as a Sun. Meanwhile, Phoenix (15-15) secured a 129-113 victory to end its three-game losing streak.

“It was amazing to get back on the winning side,” Durant said. "It sucks losing. Having a tough stretch in the NBA is one of the worst feelings you can have, regardless of how many games we play in a season.”

While Durant isn’t particularly known for his playmaking, Wednesday’s performance marked his third double-digit-assist game this season and the 38th of his career.

On that note, here are some of the two-time NBA champion’s other top playmaking performances:

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Kevin Durant’s best playmaking performances

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#5. 13 assists against Denver Nuggets (1/12/2021)

On Jan. 12, 2021, Durant recorded 34 points, nine rebounds, 13 assists, and four 3-pointers on 66.7% shooting against the Denver Nuggets. Meanwhile, the superstar forward’s Brooklyn Nets came away with a 122-116 victory.

However, Durant also racked up seven turnovers, the most in any of his top-five playmaking performances.

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#4. 13 assists against Cleveland Cavaliers (5/16/2021)

On May 16, 2021, Durant finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, 13 assists and just two turnovers on 80.0% shooting against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The former MVP helped his Nets secure a 123-109 victory.

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#3. 14 assists against New York Knicks (1/23/2018)

On Jan. 23, 2018, Durant tallied 14 points, four rebounds, 14 assists, two steals and two blocks against the New York Knicks. The 13-time All-Star led the Golden State Warriors to a 123-112 victory.

However, Durant shot just 40.0% while recording five turnovers.

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#2. 16 assists against Indiana Pacers (4/10/2022)

The first of Durant’s two career-best 16-assist nights came on April 10, 2022, against the Indiana Pacers. The two-time NBA Finals MVP racked up 20 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists as his Nets prevailed with a 134-126 victory.

However, Durant shot just 29.4% and tallied six turnovers.

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#1. 16 assists against Houston Rockets (12/27/2023)

Durant’s aforementioned 16-assist performance on Wednesday against the Rockets is easily his top playmaking performance, given that he recorded just three turnovers. Following Wednesday’s victory, Durant-led teams are 5-0 when he records at least 13 assists for his career and 28-10 when he records double-digit assists.

So, good things happen when the superstar forward passes the ball.

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