Durant overtakes Jordan in scoring list, James sets games record

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) shoots against Miami Heat forward Simone Fontecchio (0), center Bam Adebayo (13), and guard Pelle Larsson (9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Houston. (AP)

HOUSTON, March 22 (AP): Kevin Durant scored 27 points to move past Michael Jordan for fifth place on the NBA’s career scoring list, and Amen Thompson had a tip-in at the buzzer to lift the Houston Rockets to a 123-122 win over the Miami Heat.

Durant’s shot for the win bounced off the rim, and Thompson tipped it in to give Houston the thrilling victory. Durant has 32,294 points in his career, two more than Jordan.

Miami trailed by eight before using a 9-2 run, with a 3 from Simon Fontecchio, to get within 119-118 with 46.3 seconds to go. Reed Sheppard made a shot in the lane to push the lead to 121-118 with 12.7 seconds left.

Bam Adebayo made two free throws after that before Jabari Smith Jr. was called for goaltending on a layup by Fontecchio to put the Heat on top 122-121 with 5.4 seconds remaining and set up the wild ending.

In Orlando, LeBron James set the NBA record by playing in his 1,612th regular-season game and Luke Kennard made a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left to send the Los Angeles Lakers to a comeback 105-104 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Luka Doncic scored 33 points in the Lakers’ ninth straight win, but was called for his 16th technical foul - an automatic one-game suspension by the league if it’s not rescinded.

James had 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals on his record-breaking night, passing the mark Robert Parish held for nearly 30 years.

Paolo Banchero, who led seven Magic players in double figures with 16 points, blocked a shot by James out of bounds with 4.7 seconds left. After a replay review, it was determined that the ball had not caromed off James’ foot out of bounds - and Los Angeles maintained possession. That set up Marcus Smart’s pass to Kennard for the winning shot.