NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns well-known instigator Dillon Brooks was trying to get under the skin of Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant during a possession in the second quarter on Tuesday night, talking his usual trash while playing physical defense.
That turned out to be a mistake.
Advertisement
On the ensuing play, Durant juked Brooks, driving past him and making a jumper while Brooks stumbled to his knees. The play helped the Rockets rally from an early 21-point deficit for a 119-105 victory in Durant’s return to the desert after spending 2 1/2 seasons with the Suns from 2023-25.
Durant brushed aside questions about whether Brooks’ antics motivated him. The 37-year-old forward finished with 24 points and shot 5 of 9 on 3-pointers after being greeted with a mix of cheers and boos from Phoenix fans during pregame introductions.
“I’m not giving him that — he doesn’t get that kind of credit with me,” Durant said. “Maybe some other guys may turn up because he talks to them, but he’s not that important or special to me to get me going. I wake up getting ready to play.
“But I respect Dillon, I respect what he brings to the game. Like I said earlier, I think that gets him going more than me. I just happened to get that ball right afterwards and make a good move.”
Advertisement
Durant came to the Suns in 2023 as part of a four-team, trade-deadline deal just hours after Mat Ishbia officially took the reins of the franchise as a majority owner. The splashy move was widely praised at the time.
However, Durant’s tenure in the desert was mostly notable for the lack of postseason success. He played well on an individual level — making the All-Star team in both full seasons — while the team regressed.
The Suns lost to the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals in 2023, got swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2024 and didn’t even make the playoffs in 2025.
Durant was eventually traded during the offseason in a move that’s worked out well for both sides. He’s averaging nearly 26 points per game for the Rockets, who are on a seven-game winning streak and…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kevin-durants-juke-sends-dillon-064533235.html
Author : DAVID BRANDT
Publish date : 2026-04-08 06:45:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
