HOUSTON (AP) 鈥� Houston鈥檚 Kevin Durant said hitting the game-winning shot Monday night against the Phoenix Suns meant more because it came against his former team that he felt kicked him out.
Durant scored 26 points and his 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds to go .
Asked if it meant more because it came against the the Suns, the 15-time All-Star didn’t hold back.
鈥淢ost definitely,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 place that I didn鈥檛 want to leave. My first time 鈥� I don鈥檛 want to sound too dramatic, but I will 鈥� to be kicked out of a place.鈥�
The game was tied when Durant drained the 27-footer to give the Rockets the victory. Durant joined the Rockets from Phoenix this summer in a blockbuster trade that sent Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to the Suns.
鈥淚t feels good to play against a team that booted you out of the building and scapegoated you for all the problems they had,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd it hurt because I put all my effort and love and care towards the Suns and the Phoenix area and Arizona in general. But that鈥檚 just the business, that鈥檚 the name of the game. So, when you play against a (former) team, yeah you got a chip on your shoulder.鈥�
The 37-year-old Durant spent 2 陆 seasons with the Suns after a trade from the Nets in Feb. 2023. He was an All-Star in both of his full seasons there, but the team failed to meet expectations, losing in the first round of the postseason in the 2023-24 season and failing to reach the playoffs last season.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nothing but love for the players, but I want to beat that team,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to show them that I still got some juice in the tank. Even though I鈥檓 old, I still can play. I feel like every player has that mentality playing against their former team. I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 malicious in any way towards them. But just as a competitor, you want to go out there and beat them.鈥�
But Durant said he hopes these feelings won鈥檛 linger too long.
鈥淏y the time I get home tonight, I probably won鈥檛 even remember it,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ell, I will remember it, but I鈥檒l try my best to forget about it and move on to the next one.鈥�
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