Kevin Durant delivered the defining moment Monday night, drilling a 27-foot three-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining to lift the Houston Rockets to a 100-97 win over the Phoenix Suns at Toyota Center.
The game-winning shot came against Durant’s former team, sealing Houston’s 22nd win of the season and snapping Phoenix’s two-game winning streak. The contest was tied when the veteran forward rose and connected from well beyond the arc.
Durant finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, leading the Rockets through a tight fourth quarter that featured multiple momentum swings. His final basket capped a possession that followed a critical defensive stop moments earlier.
Phoenix nearly took control in the closing seconds before that sequence. Devin Booker missed a three-point attempt, and although the Suns secured the rebound, the shot clock expired with 5.1 seconds left, giving Houston one final chance.
Booker’s last-second three after Durant’s make bounced off the rim, ending the Suns’ comeback bid. The All-Star guard led Phoenix with 27 points on 9-for-20 shooting.
Houston had led by seven with under five minutes remaining before Phoenix surged ahead with a 10-0 run. Booker scored eight points during that stretch as the Suns briefly took a 97-94 lead with about 2:30 to play.
The Rockets responded despite a prolonged scoring drought. Amen Thompson converted a three-point play with under two minutes left to tie the game after Houston went nearly four and a half minutes without a field goal.
Thompson finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, while Jabari Smith Jr. added 17 points and seven boards. The supporting production helped Houston withstand uneven perimeter shooting.
The Rockets shot 44 percent from the field but struggled from deep, hitting just 9 of 37 attempts. Houston compensated by controlling the glass, finishing with a 51-40 rebounding advantage.
Phoenix shot 42 percent overall and 34 percent from three-point range. Dillon Brooks added 15 points against his former club, while the Suns received limited scoring outside of Booker.
Houston played without Alperen Sengun, who sat out after spraining his right ankle Saturday. Coach Ime Udoka said before the game that the center is expected to miss 10 to 14 days.
The Suns travel to Memphis for a Wednesday matchup. The Rockets head west for consecutive road games against Portland on Wednesday and Friday.
