‘Damn right’: Kevin Durant reaches 31,000 career points in Rockets’ blowout 117-98 win vs. Suns

HOUSTON – Friday night, the Houston Rockets hosted the Phoenix Suns in a matchup of the two principal teams in last summer’s blockbuster trade that brought Kevin Durant from the desert to Clutch City.

KD delivered a vintage performance to solidify a historic night, as the Rockets cruised to a blowout win.

Amen Thompson led the Rockets in scoring with 31 points, while Durant finished with 28. Jabari Smith Jr. scored 16, and Reed Sheppard had 10 off the bench.

Durant entered the night with 30,996 career total points. With two free throws and a midrange jumper in the first quarter, Durant crossed the 31,000 mark.

On the floor after the final buzzer, Durant was asked what his younger self would have said if he knew he’d reach such a milestone.

“I would’ve said ‘Damn right,’” Durant replied.

After the moment had time to settle in, Durant expanded on his answer in the postgame press conference, reminiscing on his years learning the game growing up in Washington, D.C.

“I can just remember walking to the court as a 10- or 11-year-old, wanting to play against the grown men in the neighborhood. Just wanting to be on the court and wanting to understand what the game was about at an early age. I’m just grateful for people who sat me down and broke it down to me at that age,” he added.

KD is now one of just eight players in NBA history to surpass 31,000 points, joining LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Wilt Chamberlain.

In the press conference following the win, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka gave Durant his flowers on the milestone and praised his career longevity. Udoka also reflected on playing against Durant himself during his playing days.

“It’s incredible,” Udoka said. “I mean, I played against him his rookie year, and a few times after... To be able to do this with the longevity and at this high of a level... It’s an incredible career.”

Udoka also conceded that it feels like just another drop in the bucket for a player with KD’s generational brag sheet.

“[Durant still has] a long way to go, but we just gave him some kudos in there, but he’ll pass a few more guys and get a few more thousand, so no biggie there.”

While all the cameras were glued to Durant on his historic moment, Thompson quietly put together an elite performance. He scored a season-high 31 points on 70.6% efficiency from the field. He has now started the month of December with 20 or more points in three straight games.

After the win, he discussed how losing starting point guard Fred VanVleet to injury has allowed him to develop as a primary ball-handler for the team this year.

He added that Fred worked with him over the summer, preparing him to handle the ball for the Rockets’ offense.

“I worked on it a lot,” Thompson said. “Fred told me, ‘I’m gonna defer to you a little more this year...’ It’s good that we get to work on it now.”

To the surprise of nobody, though, Thompson was still quick to congratulate his teammate on hitting 31K.

“[Durant] makes a variety of buckets,” Thompson said. “All types.”

GAME RECAP

While announcing the Suns’ starters before the opening tip, the Rockets played a tribute video for Dillon Brooks, who solidified himself as one of Houston’s defensive anchors and a fan-favorite before being sent to Phoenix. Never one to feign a smile, he nodded in quiet acknowledgment.

Brooks must’ve saved all of his emotions for the court, because he got off to a red-hot start in his return to H-Town. He scored 14 first-quarter points and the Suns led, 31-24 after one.

After the first quarter, the Rockets played another tribute video for Jalen Green — who also went to Phoenix in the Durant deal. Green was out with an injury, but he smiled and showed gratitude to the Houston crowd from the Suns’ bench in a black leather jacket.

After a first quarter that was modest for his standards, KD caught fire in the second period. By way of a three-pointer, a dunk, and a few of his signature midrange pull-ups, KD led a 30-11 Rockets run.

Durant led all scorers at the half with 21 points, and the Rockets took a 68-58 lead into the break. Thompson and Smith Jr. had 14 and 10 points, respectively. Brooks led Phoenix with 18.

After scoring 44 points in just the second quarter, the Rockets cooled down in the first portion of the third. Thompson still shined, scoring 10 points through a plethora of drives and dunks. Even with Houston’s slight lull in offense, matters were significantly worse for Phoenix, as the Suns scored just 14 points in the third. The Rockets entered the final stanza with a roomy 97-72 advantage.

The Rockets gave Durant some much-earned rest in the fourth, as the star rode the bench through the entire fourth quarter. By about the halfway point of the quarter, the Rockets had all of their starters on the bench aside from Steven Adams. With just under four minutes to play, the big man finally subbed out. The bench guys took care of business down the stretch, and Houston walked away with a stress-free victory.

The Rockets were without star center Alperen Sengun, as he was sidelined with an illness. Tari Eason and Dorian Finney-Smith were also unavailable, as they are still weeks away from returning from their injuries.

Phoenix was also missing key contributors, as starting guards Devin Booker and former Rocket Jalen Green were both out tonight.

Friday’s contest was the Rockets’ second matchup against the Suns. The teams first met on Nov. 24, with the Rockets earning a 114-92 win in Phoenix.

The win lifts the Rockets to 15-5 on the season.

Tomorrow night, they’ll take a short road trip to take on Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center in Dallas.