After Friday night’s game between the NBA Sophomores taking on the Rookies, it is becoming abundantly clear why Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant may be making more appearances at future all-Star games – and not as a paying customer. Durant exploited the Rookies’ relative inexperience as he rocked US Airways Arena with 46 points, leading the Sophomores to the 122-116 win over the Rookies squad in the 2009 NBA Rookie Challenge. Durant’s 46 points shattered the record of 36 set by the Phoenix Suns’ Amare Stoudemire as a sophomore back in 2004.
Both teams, as is typical during these types of games, shot very well as the Sophomores shot a blistering 68.4% – including 63.6% from beyond the arc while the Rookies shot 53.6% from the floor yet somehow took a 61-58 lead into halftime. Things got interesting in the very late stage of the game as the Rookies closed to within 119-116 on a jumper by Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo, but Durant put the game out of reach as he made a pair of free throws, icing the game for the Sophomores.
The aforementioned Durant led the Sophomores with 46 points (including 4 three-pointers), 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals while Thunder teammate Jeff Green and Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young added 13 each – with Green grabbing 2 rebounds, dishing out 3 assists along with 2 steals while Young grabbed 4 rebounds, dished out an assist along with a steal.
The Rookies were led by Miami heat forward Michael Beasley with 29 points, 3 rebounds, an assist, 2 steals and a blocked shot while Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Gordon added 19 (including 3 treys) with 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol pitched in 15 with 8 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.