Kevin Durant gets back at Phoenix Suns: "They kicked me out and used me as a scapegoat"
KD played a masterful duel, including a game winner against his former team, whom he criticized afterwards in front of the press.
Kevin Durant did not hide his feelings after deciding Monday night's game against the Phoenix Suns. The Houston Rockets small forward scored 26 points and sealed the victory with a decisive three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left, giving his team a 100-97 win, a basket that, as he admitted, had a special meaning for being against his former team.
When asked if the moment was different facing Phoenix, Durant was direct. "Without a doubt. It's a place I didn't want to leave. It's the first time— I don't want to sound dramatic, but I will— I've been kicked out of a place," said the 15-time All-Star.
The game was tied when Durant sank a shot from almost eight meters to secure the win for Houston. The veteran joined the Rockets this summer in a high-impact trade that sent Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to the Suns, ending his time in Arizona.
"It feels good to play against a team that kicked you out of the building and blamed you for all their problems," Durant continued. "It hurts because I put all my effort, love, and commitment into the Suns, Phoenix, and Arizona in general. But this is a business, that's how it goes. When you play against a former team, of course, there's a chip on your shoulder."
Durant, 37, spent two and a half seasons in Phoenix after coming from the Brooklyn Nets in February 2023. He was an All-Star in his two full seasons with the franchise, although the project did not meet expectations: first-round exit in the 2023-24 season and no playoffs the following year.
KD's Desire to Beat the Suns
"I only feel affection for the players, but I want to beat that team," he explained. "I want to show them that I still have gas in the tank. Even though I'm older, I can still play. I think all players feel that when they face their former team. It's not malicious, it's pure competitiveness."
Despite the harshness of his words, Durant made it clear that he doesn't want to hold onto resentment. "When I get home tonight, I probably won't remember it anymore. Well, I will remember, but I'll try to forget it as soon as possible and focus on the next game," he concluded.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Kevin Durant se venga de Phoenix Suns: "Me echaron y me usaron de chivo expiatorio"
