Kevin Durant’s night ended prematurely in the Phoenix Suns’ loss against the Houston Rockets on Sunday. With 6:57 remaining in the third quarter, Durant left the court due to a left ankle sprain following a collision with Jabari Smith Jr. The accident led to an examination that led to fines and technical fouls. Dillon Brooks was tossed from Game 2 after an intense jawing and shoving session with Durant. Even with his injury, Durant still managed to play 23 minutes, scoring 11 points on a load of efficiency to go with eight rebounds. Houston took full advantage of Phoenix’s second-half collapse, as the Rockets rode Jalen Green and Amen Thompson to the top.
The game took an incredibly unfortunate turn as Durant went down after stepping on Smith Jr.’s foot in the careening collision. This was a huge reason why Durant plummeted. He grimaced in agony and was impossible to put any pressure on his left limb. He required assistance getting back to the locker room. When the play was reviewed, that call earned both teams technical fouls. Brooks was ejected at the end of the first half after picking up two technicals. On one hand, Nick Richards from the Suns and Durant each received one technical foul.
The Rockets took full advantage and rampaged through the third quarter, outscoring the Suns 34-24. McGowan’s stunning effort carried them to an authoritative 148-109 win. Green’s magnetic presence proved dominant for Houston, as he poured in 33 points while Thompson finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. This strong performance shined a light on just how dominant the Rockets were in the second half, taking advantage of a dejected Suns squad.
Durant’s injury would prove to have ramifications beyond just the game itself. Mike Budenholzer informed reporters that Durant would undergo an MRI on Monday to assess the severity of his ankle sprain. As a result, Durant will not accompany the Warriors on their next three-game road trip. That journey begins with an opening game against the Milwaukee Bucks this Tuesday.
Earlier in the game, Brooks was called for a foul on Durant with 4:48 left in the second quarter as Houston held a 55-38 lead. A little later, Durant picked up a bad foul on the other end under the Phoenix basket after fumbling away the ball. These three events created the perfect storm for what was a fiery and eventually fateful third quarter.
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