The 35-year-old Durant achieved the feat in 1,003 games, with the clinching bucket coming just before halftime on a baseline drive.
Durant needed only 17 points coming into the game to pass Malone. With his second-quarter bucket, he joins LeBron James as the only active players in the top 25 of the scoring list.
Since entering the NBA in 2007, Durant has played for four franchises, beginning his tenure with the Phoenix Suns earlier this year.
Durant was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, who became the Oklahoma City Thunder soon afterward.
Kevin Durant is now one of the top 10 scorers in NBA history, passing Moses Malone on Friday
Durant, a future Hall of Famer, is considered one of the greatest players in NBA history
Durant is a two-time NBA champion, winning both titles with the Golden State Warriors.
Before moving to Phoenix, Durant was an integral member of the Brooklyn Nets, never making it past the Eastern Conference semifinals with the franchise.
After Friday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets, Durant stands at 27,423 points. He’s less than 1,000 points away from ninth-place Carmelo Anthony (28,289).
Durant is averaging 31.3 points per game this season, meaning he should overtake both Anthony and eighth-place Shaquille O’Neal by the end of March if he stays healthy.
There’s a ways to go to catch James, who is only adding to his first-place total of 39,124 points.
