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Kevin Durant\u2019s<\/a> return to Phoenix came with emotion, noise, and a reminder of why he remains one of the NBA\u2019s most unshakable scorers. The Houston Rockets<\/a> star finished with 24<\/a> points and helped fuel a comeback from a 21-point deficit in a 119-105 win over the Suns on Tuesday night, AP News reports.<\/p>\n Durant\u2019s performance included a moment that quickly made the rounds. Dillon Brooks<\/a>, known for pushing boundaries defensively and verbally, tried to get under Durant\u2019s skin during a second-quarter possession. Durant responded the way he often does, with precision. He shook Brooks, drove past him, and knocked down a jumper while Brooks lost his footing.<\/p>\n After the game, Durant made it clear that the exchange carried little weight for him.<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all. I\u2019m not giving him that. He don\u2019t get that type of credit with me,\u201d Durant said. \u201cMaybe with other guys that may turn up when he talks to em but he\u2019s not that important\u2026 He\u2019s not that much of a concern to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Durant Stays Locked In Amid Brooks\u2019 Antics<\/p>\n Durant\u2019s response captured the tone of his night. He stayed composed, efficient, and focused on execution rather than emotion. He knocked down 5 of 9 shots from beyond the arc and helped anchor a balanced Rockets attack that saw all five starters reach double figures.<\/p>\n Houston\u2019s turnaround did not happen instantly. Phoenix stormed out to a 26-5 lead, hitting 10 of its first 15 shots. The Rockets chipped away, cutting the deficit to three by halftime before taking control late. An early fourth-quarter burst gave Houston the edge for good, and Durant\u2019s late 3-pointer pushed the lead to 111-96 with just over four minutes left.<\/p>\n Brooks\u2019 attempt to disrupt Durant may have created a highlight, but it did not shift Durant\u2019s mindset. As he explained, his preparation and approach do not hinge on in-game chatter.<\/p>\n \u201cI wake up going, getting ready to play,\u201d Durant said. \u201cI respect it and what he brings to the team. I think that gets him going more than me.\u201d<\/p>\n Return to Phoenix Carries Mixed Emotions<\/p>\n The night also marked Durant\u2019s first game back in Phoenix since his stint with the franchise ended. Fans greeted him with a mix of cheers and boos during introductions, reflecting a tenure that produced strong individual play but uneven team results.<\/p>\n Durant joined the Suns<\/a> in 2023 in a high-profile trade that signaled championship ambition. While he earned All-Star nods and produced at a high level, postseason success proved elusive. Phoenix reached the Western Conference semifinals in 2023, exited in the first round in 2024, and missed the playoffs the following year.<\/p>\n Earlier in the day, Durant addressed his time<\/a> with the organization and made it clear he has moved forward, per Yahoo.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pretty much over it,\u201d Durant said. \u201cAt the time, it was tough to take\u2026 but it\u2019s the business of basketball\u2026 Time heals all and just move on.\u201d<\/p>\n That mindset showed on the court. Durant did not chase moments or narratives. He took what the game gave him and delivered within the flow, even as emotions ran high around him.<\/p>\n Devin Booker<\/a> led Phoenix with 31 points, but Houston controlled the glass with a 55-34 rebounding advantage and closed with authority. The win extended the Rockets\u2019 streak to seven games and pushed them into a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> for the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n For Durant, the night reinforced something simple. Noise exists, rivalries exist, but his approach stays the same. He shows up ready, lets his game speak, and leaves little room for anything else to matter.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tBurtland Dixon<\/a> Burtland Dixon is a sports journalist covering the NBA and athlete culture for Heavy.com. A former Division II athlete turned journalist, he offers a unique blend of locker room perspective and storytelling expertise. He has more than eight years of experience in digital media and previously served as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with additional bylines at Idolator, Trend Chaser, and Buzznet. Burtland is based between California and New York. Instagram: @showmi_more More about Burtland Dixon<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Rockets\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Kevin Durant\u2019s return to Phoenix came with emotion, noise, and a reminder of why he remains one…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":705447,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3794],"tags":[7,292,194,4066,6,211],"class_list":{"0":"post-705446","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-houston-rockets","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-houston","10":"tag-houston-rockets","11":"tag-houstonrockets","12":"tag-nba","13":"tag-rockets"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116369858393560520","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/705446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=705446"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/705446\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/705447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=705446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=705446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=705446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}