Kevin Durant said Monday's dagger against the Phoenix Suns had extra meaning ... admitting it hit different after feeling "scapegoated" by his former squad.

Houston’s Kevin Durant said hitting the game-winning shot Monday night against the Phoenix Suns meant more because it came against his former team that he felt kicked him out. Durant scored 26 points and his 3-pointer with 1.

Devin Booker has nothing but respect for Kevin Durant following the Suns-Rockets clash where the latter hit the game-winning shot.

Durant spent two and a half seasons in Phoenix before being dealt to Houston in a headline-grabbing trade last summer, a move that sent Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to the Suns. The reunion, however brief, came with unresolved emotion.

Kevin Durant hit a game-winning 3 with 1.1 seconds left to lift Houston to a 100-97 win on Jan. 5 over Phoenix. He didn't mince words after the game.

Kevin Durant buried a game-winning 3-pointer with just under four seconds remaining to lift the Houston Rockets past his former team, the Phoenix Suns, 100-97 at home Monday.

The Suns will fly to Memphis encouraged by their fight against Kevin Durant and the Rockets but there was spice in the finish that will ruffle some feathers.

The Suns’ fatigue factor will be something to monitor after a hard-fought win that took a lot out of them last night, especially with the travel delays throwing them out of their usual routine. That being said, Phoenix catches a bit of a break with Houston missing Alperen Sengun in this one.