Houston– rockets star Kevin Durant said while hitting the winning shot on Monday night against phoenix sun It means more because it was against his former team who he said brought him out.
Durant scored 26 points, and his 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left put the Rockets up win 100-97,
Asked if it meant more because it came against the Suns, the 15-time All-Star didn’t hold back.
“Sure,” Durant said. “A place I didn’t want to leave. For the first time — I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but I would do this — I would be kicked out of some place.”
The score was tied when Durant made a 27-footer to give the Rockets the win. Durant joined the Rockets from Phoenix this summer in a blockbuster trade that sent dillon brooks And jalen green To the suns.
“It feels good to play against a team that threw you out of the building and made you the scapegoat for all their problems,” Durant said. “And it hurt because I put all my effort and love and care into the Suns and the Phoenix area and Arizona in general. But it’s just business, that’s the name of the game. So, when you play against a [former] Team, yes, you have a chip on your shoulder.”
Durant, 37, spent two and a half seasons with the Suns after the trade Brooklyn Nets In February 2023. He was an All-Star in both of his full seasons in Phoenix, but the team failed to live up to expectations, losing in the first round of the postseason in the 2023–24 season and failing to reach the playoffs last season.
“It’s nothing but love for the players, but I want to beat that team,” Durant said. “I want to show them I still have some juice in the tank. Even though I’ve gotten older, I can still play. I think every player has the mentality of playing against their former team. I don’t think it’s malicious towards them in any way. But as a competitor, you want to go out there and beat them.”
But Durant said he hopes those feelings don’t last long.
“When I get home tonight, I probably won’t even remember it,” he said. “Okay, I’ll remember it, but I’ll do my best to forget about it and move on to the next one.”
