Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant needs 16 points – about two quarters the way he is playing right now – to become one of the NBA’s top-10 scorers of all-time.

Headed into the Phoenix-Denver game Friday, Durant has 27,393 points, just behind Hall of Famer Moses Malone who is No. 10 with 27,409 points.

Durant is off to a terrific start, the kind that puts him in the early NBA MVP conversation. He averages 31.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.1 blocks and shoots 51.8% from the field, 49.3% on 3-pointers and 89.6% from the free throw line – a small fraction from the revered 50-40-90 club of which Durant is already a member.

At 35, he remains one of the league’s most efficient scorers – of all-time.

Durant will continue to move up the all-time scoring list with a chance to finish his career in the top five ahead of Michael Jordan's 32,292 points.

Whenever Durant decides to retire and no matter where he ends up on the all-time scoring list, a major what-if will accompany his career. What if he had played in more games? Since tearing his Achilles in the 2019 Finals, Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season and has played in just 137 of 308 games in the previous four seasons. Even if Durant had played in just 82 of those 171 games he missed, that’s at least another 2,000 points for him.

That doesn’t take away from his greatness which is on display right now.

Karl Malone is the oldest to win the regular-season MVP award at 35 years and 284 days. Durant won't be quite that old at the end of this season but he would still be in rare company if he won MVP. Steve Nash at 31 in 2006 is the last player to win MVP in his 30s.

As great as Durant, LeBron James and Steph Curry still are at this stage of their careers, it's still a young person's game, at least when it comes to MVP.

Can Durant join the list of 30-somethings to win MVP? Let’s take a look at the MVP rankings as December begins:

NBA MVP rankings

10. Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry

2023-24 stats: 29.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.3 apg, 48.1% FG, 43.1% 3P, 93% FT

Curry has missed three foul shots in his past 68 attempts, and he has had at least six assists in his past four games.

9. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo

2023-24 stats: 29.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.4 bpg, 60.1% FG

In his past six games, Antetokounmpo has made 89-of-142 shots from the field (62.7%), including 20-for-23 in a 42-point performance against Washington.

8. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton

2023-24 stats: 27.0 ppg, 11.8 apg, 3.6 rpg, 51.9% FG, 44.7% 3P, 88% FT

In November, Haliburton averaged 28.6 points and 11.7 assists and shot 53.2% from the field and 46.7% on 3s, joining Michael Jordan (March 1989) and LeBron James (February 2017 and February 2018) as the only players to average at least 25 points and 10 assists and shoot at least 50% from the field and 40% on 3s in a month.

7. Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic

2023-24 stats: 31.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.9 apg, 1.3 spg, 48.9% FG, 38.8% 3PT, 77.3% FT

With more shooters around him, Doncic is taking advantage of better 3-point opportunities for himself.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards

2023-24 stats: 26.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.3 spg, 46.4% FG, 37.7% 3P, 86.4% FT

Edwards is one of nine players averaging at least 25 points, five assists and five rebounds, and he’s doing it for the team with the best record in the West.

5. Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant

2023-24 stats: 31.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.1 bpg, 51.8% FG, 49.3% 3P, 89.6% FT

Durant has scored at least 30 points in six consecutive games.

4. Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

2023-24 stats: 30.6 ppg, 6.1 apg, 5.9 rpg, 2.3 spg, 54.1% FG, 35% 3P, 94.5% FT

It’s early, but Gilgeous-Alexander averages career-highs in rebounds, assists, steals and field-goal percentage through his 17 games, and the Thunder are winning.

3. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum

2023-24 stats: 27.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.1. spg, 49.4% FG, 36.1% 3P, 80.7% FT

The Celtics have the best record, and Tatum is leading the way with his outstanding all-around game.

2. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic

2023-24 stats: 29.0 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 9.2 apg, 1.2 spg, 57.1% FG, 80% FT

Players have totaled 15 triple-doubles this season – and Jokic has seven of them, including 32 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds in a victory over Houston on Wednesday.

1. Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid

2023-24 stats: 32 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 6.6 apg, 1.9 bpg, 1.0 spg, 49.8% FG, 87.8% FT

Under new Sixers coach Nick Nurse, Embiid is averaging a career-high in assists – more than two per game better than his career-high (4.2) for a full season.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

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