Kevin Durant is enjoying his revenge against the Suns
Kevin Durant he clearly had a message to send to the Suns. With 5.1 seconds left between Houston and Phoenix, the two teams are tied, 97-97. “KD” receives the ball after a throw-in. With two dribbles on the right, he changes in front Roy O’Nealwith Devin Booker not far away. He goes for a three and breaks the circle before celebrating with a smile and a gesture that seems to mean, ‘Tell them to go home.’ The Rockets won thanks to their star, especially motivated by this poster against his former team.
The author of a good matchup, but far from clumsy, Kevin Durant did not hesitate for a moment to close the debates behind the arc, even though he was only 1/11 at the time. ” All of my 3-point shots looked good when they left my hand » he reacted immediately after the buzzer. « Some hit the back of the circle. But I told myself I would put it on at some point. I kept telling the team that I would put it on at some point. By the grace of God, it was the last. » The most important thing, the victory at the end of a closely contested match.
https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=dKajEpOvRKSg
Faced with his ex, Kevin Durant couldn’t pass up his chance to shine. And the last possession almost seemed pre-written, until the Suns didn’t press their former player too much. “I knew this shot was going in when I came out of the timeout”they assure KDnt. “I knew that, with the system that the coach had set up, it would be difficult for them to rush at me and catch two.
« He’s been doing it his whole career » recalled coach Ime Udokagrateful. ” This is part of the reason why you sign him, the efficiency he brings in the closing meetings. You know you’re going to get a good hit, or he’s going to get a good hit for someone else when opposing teams close in on him. He is one of the best to achieve it, and the best player in history at the end of the match. When he comes off the screen and has this good position, there’s nothing the defense can do. He’s just going to get his shot in or not. »
“It feels good to play against the team that kicked you out”
« Does this shot against Phoenix mean more? Very clear » insists Kevin Durant, measuring his words. ” It’s a place I didn’t want to leave. I don’t want to overdo it, but get you kicked out somewhere… I feel like they wanted to make me their scapegoat for all the problems we had as a team last season. »
His trio of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal never quite gelled with the Suns, an experience that ended without their fewest playoff series in two years and an eleventh-place finish in the West last season.
Bringing up the subject again, Kevin Durant makes a point. “It feels good to play against a team that kicked you out and made you take the blame for all their problems. And it hurt me, because I gave all my energy, my love and attention to the Suns and Phoenix, and Arizona in general. But it’s a job.”
“When you play against an old team, you have a burden on your shoulders”he continues. “You don’t want it to be too hard and hinder your game, or your teammates. But in the back of your mind, it’s there. I have nothing but love for these players, but I want to beat this team. I want to show them that I still have something in the tank, even though I’m old. I can still play. I believe every player has this state of mind when they’ve been mean to her team. competitor, you want to beat her, and on that winning shot…”
Clutch in more ways than one
This recording will therefore retain a special flavor for Kevin Durant, but not only for him. “I told Kevin it was the best time I’ve had as a rocket”smiles Amen Thompson at the press conference. The hero of the evening lingers: “Yeah, it feels good to beat them and get the shot to win, but it’s nothing more. It’s just a moment. It’s something I won’t think about tomorrow.”
The fact remains that this “moment” carries a lot of weight in the rankings: Houston needed the benchmark to move away from the playoff zone and push away its victim of the night, which now falls to 2.5 wins. In Texas, Kevin Durant also says he’s found a franchise ready to welcome him with open arms after the bitter ending in Phoenix.
“Being booed here for so many years as an opponent, you know, it feels good to be here and get some love.”he rejoices. “I love Houston. I love Texas. I’m grateful to play for the Rockets.”
| Kevin Durant | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | The team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | That | Pd | Ft | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2007-08 | OKC | 80 | 34:36 | 43.0 | 28.8 | 87.3 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 20.3 |
| 2008-09 | OKC | 74 | 38:59 | 47.6 | 42.2 | 86.3 | 1.0 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 25.3 |
| 2009-10 | OKC | 82 | 39:30 | 47.6 | 36.5 | 90.0 | 1.3 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 30.1 |
| 2010-11 | OKC | 78 | 38:57 | 46.2 | 35.0 | 88.0 | 0.7 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 27.7 |
| 2011-12 | OKC | 66 | 38:35 | 49.6 | 38.7 | 86.0 | 0.6 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 28.0 |
| 2012-13 | OKC | 81 | 38:30 | 51.0 | 41.6 | 90.5 | 0.6 | 7.3 | 7.9 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 28.1 |
| 2013-14 | OKC | 81 | 38:33 | 50.3 | 39.1 | 87.3 | 0.7 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 5.5 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 32.0 |
| 2014-15 | OKC | 27 | 33:49 | 51.0 | 40.3 | 85.4 | 0.6 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 25.4 |
| 2015-16 | OKC | 72 | 35:48 | 50.5 | 38.7 | 89.8 | 0.6 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 28.2 |
| 2016-17 | GS | 62 | 34:32 | 53.7 | 37.5 | 87.5 | 0.6 | 7.6 | 8.3 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 25.1 |
| 2017-18 | GS | 68 | 34:11 | 51.6 | 41.9 | 88.9 | 0.5 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 26.4 |
| 2018-19 | GS | 78 | 34:38 | 52.1 | 35.3 | 88.5 | 0.4 | 5.9 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 26.0 |
| 2020-21 | BKN | 35 | 33:03 | 53.7 | 45.0 | 88.2 | 0.4 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 26.9 |
| 2021-22 | BKN | 55 | 37:13 | 51.8 | 38.3 | 91.0 | 0.5 | 6.9 | 7.4 | 6.4 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 29.9 |
| 2022-23 | BKN | 39 | 35:58 | 55.9 | 37.6 | 93.4 | 0.4 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 5.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 29.7 |
| 2022-23 | PHO | 8 | 33:38 | 57.0 | 53.7 | 83.3 | 0.4 | 6.0 | 6.4 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 26.0 |
| 2023-24 | PHO | 75 | 37:13 | 52.3 | 41.3 | 85.6 | 0.5 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 5.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 27.1 |
| 2024-25 | PHO | 62 | 36:32 | 52.7 | 43.0 | 83.9 | 0.4 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 26.6 |
| 2025-26 | NEW | 30 | 36:02 | 52.3 | 42.3 | 89.4 | 0.3 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 25.7 |
How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / 3 points in an attempt; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.
2026-01-06 09:42:00
