Kevin Durant got the last laugh tonight as well against his former team, the Phoenix Suns, as the Houston Rockets beat them 100-97 at the Toyota Center, and it was the former Suns player who nailed the final shot to ice the game with 1.1 seconds left on the clock.
KEVIN DURANT HITS THE CLUTCH 3 TO WIN IT FOR HOUSTON 🚨 pic.twitter.com/1lC1qjT0Ok
— NBA (@NBA) January 6, 2026
The Rockets’ superstar pointed towards the exit gates and told his ex-teammates to go home after that shot.
Durant was struggling from beyond the arc throughout the game, but managed to nail the most important shot of the night. He finished the game with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, while shooting 42.9% from the field.
Kevin Durant game-winner against his former team and tells them to go home. 🔥
(h/t @Rockets_Clips)
pic.twitter.com/WKJDtigMSf https://t.co/8Bl3a5P1go
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 6, 2026
It is noteworthy that Durant went 9-21 from the field while going only 2-12 from beyond the arc (16.7%); therefore, he was extremely efficient inside the three-point line, making 7-9 attempts (77.7%).
Despite struggling from beyond the arc throughout the game, Durant told the Rockets’ sideline reporter Vanessa Richardson after the game that he knew he would hit a three-point shot tonight despite missing so many initially.
“All my three-pointers felt good leaving my hand, but somehow the back rim was too strong. And I was like, I’m going to hit one at some point, and kept telling the team that I’m going to hit a three at some point, and by the grace of god, it was the last one.”
Hearing the crowd chant “MVP!” felt like music to Durant’s ears. He spoke about finally getting his redemption in his hometown after being treated like a villain there throughout his career.
“Being booed in here so many years, being an opposing player, and getting booed. This feels good to come out here and get some love. I love Houston, I love Texas, and I’m very grateful I represent the Rockets,” said Durant in conclusion.
While it was Durant, a former Suns player, who hit the clutch shot on one end of the floor, it was Josh Okogie, another former Suns player, who defended the final possession of the game to ensure the Suns didn’t send it to overtime.
Overall, it was a solid game for both teams, who went back and forth with runs. This game was not as one-sided as most of their meetings have been, as the Rockets extended their winning streak against the Suns to seven games over the past two seasons.
With the season series between the two teams being one-sided (the Rockets are up 3-0), they will face each other once again on April 7.
The Rockets have improved to 22-11, tied as the third seed of the Western Conference with the Lakers. They will face the Trail Blazers in their next two consecutive games on January 7 and 9 in Portland.
Meanwhile, the Suns fell to 21-15 and are the seventh seed of the West currently and will face the Grizzlies in their next game on Wednesday, January 7, in Memphis.
