Kevin Durant scored 28 points, making him the eighth player in NBA history to surpass 31,000 career points during the Houston Rockets’ 117-98 victory against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.

Durant joins a prestigious group that includes Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and LeBron James.

This game marked Durant’s first matchup against his former team since a seven-player trade that involved Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks moving to the Suns. Durant had missed a previous game against Phoenix for personal reasons.

Amen Thompson also shone, scoring a season-high of 31 points as the Rockets secured their fifth win in six games. Durant needed two free throws for his initial points and then made a mid-range jumper to reach the significant milestone, finishing with 31,024 career points.

Despite trailing early, the Rockets turned the game around in the second quarter with a powerful 44-point surge, led by Durant.

In the game, the Suns’ Dillon Brooks led with 23 points but saw the team lose for the third time in four outings. The Rockets were without Alperen Sengun, who was sidelined due to illness.

The team recognized Brooks and Green during the game with tribute videos, highlighting their contributions as former Rockets. Both received warm receptions from the audience.

Upcoming Matches

• Suns: Set to face the Timberwolves on Monday.
• Rockets: Will visit the Mavericks on Saturday.