In an explosive game on Sunday night, the Houston Rockets soared past the Phoenix Suns with a commanding 148-109 victory, despite the early exit of Phoenix’s star forward, Kevin Durant, due to injury. Setting the pace for the Rockets was Jalen Green, who scored an impressive 33 points, leading his team to their 12th win in the last 13 games, cementing their position as second in the Western Conference standings, just two games ahead of Denver.
The game took a pivotal turn in the third quarter when Durant, after landing awkwardly on Jabari Smith Jr.’s foot, fell and injured his ankle. Although he managed to stand up, Durant could not put pressure on his left leg and had to leave the court. Suns coach Mike Budenholzer later confirmed that an MRI was scheduled for Monday. Consequently, Durant will not join the team in their game against Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Despite Durant contributing 11 points during his 23-minute presence on the court, the Suns were already trailing significantly with a 78-49 gap at halftime. Meanwhile, Alperen Sengun added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Rockets, while rookie Amen Thompson nearly posted a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. The duo was rested in the fourth quarter as the Rockets comfortably led by 42 points.
Phoenix’s Devin Booker tried to keep his team afloat with 28 points, yet the loss marked the third consecutive defeat for the Suns, putting them two games behind Dallas for the playoff play-in spot with just six games left in the regular season. A notable incident in the second quarter saw Dillon Brooks of the Rockets ejected after a brief altercation with Durant, which significantly shifted momentum. Following Brooks’ departure, Houston extended their lead by outscoring the Suns 23-11, ending the half with a 29-point lead.
Turnovers proved costly for Phoenix, with 19 turnovers leading to 34 points for the Rockets. As the season draws to a close, the Suns find themselves in a tough position, facing five challenging games against playoff-bound teams, despite holding a tiebreaker over Dallas by winning their season series. Looking ahead, Houston will face the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, while Phoenix travels to Milwaukee for their matchup on Tuesday.