For the second consecutive season, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder topped the National Basketball Association scoring race.

The 6-9 All-Star forward chalked up an average of 27.7 points in 78 games during the 2010-11 regular wars.

Only a solitary point separated the 22-year-old Durant from runner-up LeBron James, the Miami Heat’s multi-dimensional 6-8 forward who hit at a 26.7-point clip in his inaugural season with the Florida City unit following his free-agent departure from Cleveland.

A year ago, Durant became the youngest scoring champion in NBA history, averaging a four-year career-high 30.1 points over 82 games. James also ranked second at 29.7 ppg while donning the Cavaliers capturing his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player crown.

Carmelo Anthony placed third in the scoring charts for the second straight season. The 6-8 frontliner normed 25.6 points in 77 appearances while splitting time with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks.Chosen first and third, respectively, in the 2003 NBA draft, James and Anthony were the only players to collect at least 50 points this season.

LeBron knocked in 51 markers during the Heat’s 104-100 win at Orlando last February 3. Four days later, Melo torched Houston for a career high-tying 50 points but his Denver Nuggets suffered a 108-103 home setback to the Rockets.

James’ Heat teammate, Dwyane Wade, ranked fourth in the league in point production at 25.5 ppg, just 0.1 off Anthony’s mark. LA Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, whose attempt for a third straight NBA championship ring was thwarted by an embarrassing 4-0 loss to the Dallas Mavericks during the Western semifinal series, finished fifth with 25.5 ppg.

Rounding out the top 10 were New York’s Amare Stoudemire, 25.3 ppg; Chicago’s Derrick Rose, 25.0 ppg, along with 7.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals to become the youngest MVP in NBA history); Golden State’s Monta Ellis, 24.1 ppg; Houston’s Kevin Martin, 23.5 ppg; and Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, 23.0 ppg.

Orlando center Dwight Howard, who made history by becoming the first player to earn NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors for three straight seasons, headed the Second Ten with a 22.9-point average.

The 6-10 Howard also ranked second in the NBA rebounding ladder at 14.1 boards an outing, along with 2.4 blocks and 1.4 steals every time out.

Howard was one of only four NBAers to norm a 20 and 10 this season.

The LA Clippers’ high-flying power forward Blake Griffin, who was voted the NBA’s Slam Dunk champion during the All-Star festivities last February after leaping over a car to stuff a shot, placed 12th in scoring with 22.5 ppg and fourth in rebounding at 12.1 and, for good measure, assisted 3.8 times (second among first-year players) to become the league’s first unanimous pick as Rookie of the Year since San Antonio’s David Robinson in 1990 and the third overall in NBA annals after Houston’s Ralph Sampson in 1984.

Other 20-10 (scoring-rebounding) men are Minnesota’s Kevin Love (20.2 ppg, 18th in the league; 15.2 rpg, first; and the recipient of the NBA’s Most Improved Player award) and Memphis’ Zach Randolph (20.1 ppg, 19th; 12.2 rpg, third; a 20-10 player for the past three seasons).

Completing the NBA’s top 20 scoring list are: Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, 21.9 ppg (13th); Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, 21.8 (14th); Toronto’s Andrea Bargnani, 21.4 (15th); Indiana’s Danny Granger, 20.5 (16th); New Jersey’s Brook Lopez, 20.4 (17th); and Minnesota’s Michael Beasley, 19.2 (20th).