Kevin Durant led the Phoenix Suns (35-25) to a hard-fought 118-109 victory over the Houston Rockets (26-34) on Saturday night, with a 30-point performance.
Despite a valiant effort from Jalen Green, who erupted for 34 points for the Rockets, the Suns rallied behind Durant’s offensive firepower to secure the win and split the two-game series.
The Suns faced adversity as All-Star Devin Booker exited the game late due to a sprained right ankle, adding to their injury woes with Bradley Beal also getting ejected in his return to the lineup after a hamstring injury absence.
While Booker’s X-rays returned negative, Beal’s night was cut short after a scuffle with Green resulted in his ejection, further complicating matters for the Suns.
Durant spearheaded the Suns’ offensive charge with his 30-point outing, while Booker contributed 24 points and Royce O’Neale chipped in with 20 points.
The Rockets dominated early, jumping out to a commanding 38-19 lead after the first quarter and maintaining a double-digit advantage at halftime.
However, the Suns refused to back down as they fought back to claim the hard-fought win.
