Kevin Durant Just Buried His Old Team: Rockets Erase 21-Point Hole to Stun Suns and Grab 4th in West

The Houston Rockets did something absolutely bonkers on Tuesday night in Phoenix. Down 26-5 after the Suns' historic 24-0 opening run, Houston clawed back to steal a 119-105 victory and tie the Lakers for fourth place in the Western Conference. This was the Rockets' largest comeback of the season, and Kevin Durant led the charge against his former team.

Durant Goes Off in His Return to Phoenix

Durant dropped 24 points and drained five 3-pointers in his first game back in Phoenix after spending two and a half seasons with the Suns. That's the kind of performance that makes former teammates grimace. The second quarter got chippy too, with Durant and Dillon Brooks jawing back and forth. By halftime, the Rockets had pulled within three at 57-54, and you could feel the momentum shift.

Amen Thompson was a monster on the glass and facilitating: 22 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. Jabari Smith Jr. added 20 points and five 3-pointers. The Suns had no answer for Houston's depth.

A Fourth-Quarter Demolition Nobody Saw Coming

This is where it got ugly for Phoenix. The Rockets opened the fourth quarter on a devastating 30-12 run to build a 111-96 lead, and the Suns never got within 10 the rest of the way. Houston shot 45 percent from the field overall and absolutely dominated the glass with a 55-34 rebounding edge. Second-chance points? The Rockets turned 24 offensive boards into 37 second-chance points.

Devin Booker was stellar for Phoenix with 31 points and eight assists, going 15 of 16 from the line. Mark Williams chipped in 19 points and eight rebounds. But it wasn't enough. The Suns made 34 free throws on 39 attempts, both season highs, yet shot just 42.7 percent from the field.

Playoff Stakes Get Real

With this loss and Minnesota's Tuesday win, the Timberwolves clinched the sixth and final guaranteed Western Conference playoff berth. Phoenix is heading to the play-in tournament now. Meanwhile, the Rockets (50-29) are tied with the Lakers for fourth but still one game behind Denver (51-28) with three games left. The Lakers own the tiebreaker. Houston has won seven straight and nine of their last 11, and they just swept the entire season series against the Suns. Eight straight wins against Phoenix too.

The Rockets are surging at exactly the right time, and their stay in the West playoff picture is looking more solid by the night.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.