The Rockets came away with a 100-97 victory against Kevin Durant’s former team, the Suns, tonight, courtesy of a clutch three-point shot from the superstar forward to ice the game. He even taunted his former teammates after nailing that shot.
But after the game, Kevin Durant spoke to the media and opened up a bit about his feelings towards his former team. He admitted that he felt like a scapegoat for their problems from last season.
“Most definitely,” said Durant when the reporter asked him if it meant more to hit a game-winner against a former team than all the other clutch shots he has hit in his career.
“A place that I didn’t want to leave. And my first time being… I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but I will, being kicked out of a place, you know what I’m saying?”
“It felt like I’ve been scapegoated for all the issues we had as a team last year, hell yeah, it felt good to beat them and hit a game-winning shot over them.”
“But that’s all it is, it is just for the moment. Tomorrow, I wouldn’t even think about it. It was a fun game, and of course, you play with a chip on your shoulder when you play against your former team, especially when they trade you.”
The superstar forward finished the game with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists while shooting 9-21 from the field (42.8%) and 2-12 from beyond the arc (16.7%).
Kevin Durant has played in two of the three games that the Rockets have played against the Suns so far this season. He has averaged 27.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists while shooting 52.6% from the field in these two games.
NBA fans saw these comments on social media and expressed their opinions. They were largely hyping up Durant for being honest, but some of them also called him out by recognizing a pattern.
“He wanted to be there forever, man. He said that multiple times. And they tried to scapegoat him and backdoor him. Genuinely the lowest of the f**king lows.”
“Didn’t he want out of Phoenix? Why does he care so much now but not then?”
“Durant legit is such a baby 😂 no wonder he can’t lead a team anywhere.”
“It’s funny how Suns magically looks fine without him, same issues gone, same excuses gone too. But yeah must’ve been the scapegoat 😂.”
“Poverty franchise kicking out the best player that will ever wear their jersey.”
“He’s right, he said he wanted to retire there, but a guy named Bradley Beal had other ambitions.”
“The Suns have been better without KD, and Jalen Green hasn’t even played yet.”
Several such reactions flooded the internet as fans debated this issue sincerely on social media months after the blockbuster trade.
The superstar forward landed in Houston following a blockbuster trade deal that sent Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to the Suns along with the 2025 first-round pick, which ended up being Khaman Maluach.
He was at the Fanatics Fest doing a talk when the news broke to the public about his trade to the Rockets. Clearly, it looks like Durant was not happy about leaving the Suns. But he got the last laugh on them tonight after going home a winner in tonight’s game.
These two sides face off once again in April, near the end of the regular season. It will be interesting to see if someone on the Suns franchise has a response to this claim from Durant.
Do you think Durant was the scapegoat? Or did he orchestrate the trade himself? Let us know in the comments section.
