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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Durant's 3-pointer in final seconds helps Rockets escape Suns

Durant's 3-pointer in final seconds helps Rockets escape Suns

Published Jan 6, 2026 01:49 pm

At A Glance

  • HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 26 points and his 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds to go lifted the Houston Rockets to a 100-97 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, Dec. 5.
Houston Rockets' Kevin Durant (7) shoots a game-winning 3-pointer as Phoenix Suns' Royce O'Neale defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Rockets' Kevin Durant (7) shoots a game-winning 3-pointer as Phoenix Suns' Royce O'Neale defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 26 points and his 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds to go lifted the Houston Rockets to a 100-97 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, Dec. 5.
The game was tied when Durant drained the 27-footer to give the Rockets the victory over his former team. Durant joined the Rockets from Phoenix this summer in a blockbuster trade that sent Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to the Suns.
Devin Booker's 3-point attempt bounced off the rim after Durant gave Houston the lead to end it.
The Suns had a chance to take the lead before Durant’s game winner, but Booker’s 3-point attempt was off. Phoenix got the rebound, but the shot clock expired, giving Houston the ball with 5.1 seconds to go.
Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. added 17 points each to help Houston to its fifth win in six games.
Booker scored 27 points and Brooks had 15 for the Suns, whose two-game winning streak ended.
The Rockets led by seven with less than five minutes left before the Suns used a 10-0 run, with eight points from Booker, to take a 97-94 lead with about 2 1/2 minutes to go.
Smith made a free throw with six minutes remaining, but the Rockets hadn’t scored a field goal in almost 4 1/2 minutes when a three-point play by Thompson tied it with under two minutes remaining.
Houston’s Alperen Sengun sat out after spraining his right ankle Saturday and coach Ime Udoka said the big man is expected to miss 10 to 14 days with the injury.
The game was briefly delayed in the second quarter because of a malfunction of the clocks and scoreboard before play resumed without either working and the public address announcer periodically announcing the time on the game clock and shot clock.
The clock and scoreboard began working with about four minutes left in the first half, and the shot clocks were restored for the start of the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Brandon Miller scored 28 points and the Charlotte Hornets stunned the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, 124-97.
Kon Knueppel added 23 points for the Hornets, who had lost three of four before handing Oklahoma City its worst loss of the season. It was a season-low point total for the Thunder and the only time they have failed to score 100 points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points for his 108th straight game with at least 20, the second-longest streak in NBA history. He made just 7 of 21 field goals, and while he's known for sitting out fourth quarters because the Thunder are far ahead, he sat out the fourth this time because they were so far behind.
It was Oklahoma City's second straight loss and second home defeat of the season. The defending NBA champions started 24-1 but now are 30-7.
Charlotte ran out to an early 21-9 lead, but the Thunder, led by Ajay Mitchell's 10 points off the bench, tied the game at 33 by the end of the first period.
Charlotte regained momentum in the second and went up 67-50 at halftime. Miller scored 19 points before the break. Oklahoma City made just 8 of 15 free throws in the first half. Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's No. 2 scorer, was held to nine points on 3-for-12 shooting through two quarters.
Early in the third quarter, Charlotte's LaMelo Ball caught a ball that was heading out of bounds, then made a circus shot from the corner with a foot on the 3-point line while standing on one leg to push Charlotte's lead to 74-55.
Miller's 3-pointer as time expired in the third extended Charlotte's lead to 99-71, and the Hornets remained in control from there.
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