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Kevin Durant (right) in the game against the Portland Trail Blazers
Photo: IMAGO/Soobum Im / IMAGO/USA TODAY Network
Kevin Durant has retired a 34-year-old brand from basketball legend Michael Jordan in the North American professional league NBA.
The Brooklyn Nets superstar scored at least 25 points in the 109-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in game 16 of the season.
The last time Jordan made such a start was with the Chicago Bulls in the 1988/1989 season.
The NBA record, however, will hardly be broken: Wilt Chamberlain had at least 25 points in all 80 games of the regular season in 1961/1962.
Durant ended the game with 35 points, becoming the 19th NBA player to break the 26,000 point mark.
However, Durant missed his last shot shortly before the final siren, only Royce O'Neal's tip-in brought victory.
For the Nets it was the seventh win in 16 games, for Portland only the fifth loss in 15 games.
Irving will probably return on Sunday
Brooklyn started for the eighth time without Kyrie Irving, who was banned after an anti-Semitism scandal - and won for the fifth time.
The seven-time NBA Allstar had posted a link to a film on social media with content considered anti-Semitic and had been heavily criticized for it.
Against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, Irving looks set to return.
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