Kevin Durant’s late 3 helps Rockets outlast Suns
Kevin Durant nailed a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining, and the Houston Rockets rallied for a 100-97 win over the visiting Phoenix Suns on Monday to secure the four-game season series.
Durant was 1-for-11 from behind the arc before sinking the game-winner and capping his 26-point performance. Jabari Smith Jr., who chipped in 17 points and seven rebounds and was instrumental in helping Houston erase a 13-point second-half deficit, assisted on the Durant 3.
Durant added 10 rebounds and four assists to his ledger while Amen Thompson chipped in 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists. The Rockets shot just 9-for-37 from behind the arc (24.3%).
Devin Booker paced the Suns with 27 points and carried a 10-0 run that erased a 94-87 deficit in the fourth quarter. Dillon Brooks and Royce O'Neale scored 15 points each for the Suns.
Phoenix carved out its largest lead early in the third quarter when Booker fed Mark Williams for an alley-oop before Brooks followed a Houston backcourt turnover with a 3-pointer and Booker added a pull-up jumper that stretched the advantage to 69-56.
But Durant and Thompson, aided by a pair of Smith 3-pointers, pulled the Rockets even in a 78-78 deadlock entering the final period.
Jordan Goodwin, fresh off a career-high 26 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, made his first four shots (three 3-pointers) to pace the Suns' fast start. Phoenix led by eight points in the opening frame before the Rockets clawed back and pulled even at 16-16 on a transition dunk from Reed Sheppard.
But it was the Suns' fast-break points that set the tone. Leading 29-25 entering the second quarter, Phoenix amassed 23 fastbreak points in the first half. The Suns capitalized on seemingly every live-ball turnover committed by the Rockets and, combined with their perimeter shooting, maintained control throughout the second period.
Collin Gillespie, Goodwin and O'Neale each made three 3-pointers in the first half, enabling the Suns to carry a 60-54 lead into the intermission.