Saturday’s game in Phoenix was already going to be Kevin Durant’s night. Dillon Brooks made sure it would be his, too. The Suns forward says he won’t let another player talk about him the way Durant did, and when a Suns forward fires back like that, the matchup picks up real heat.
Suns Forward Fires Back at Rockets Star Kevin Durant
Brooks has been waiting for this one. He told reporters, “I’m not laying down to nobody saying nothing, especially a player.” Media criticism comes with the job, he said, but a player speaking on his name about something that happened to him is different. He wouldn’t do the same to Durant, and all of it only builds the juice for Saturday.
He also made clear where he prefers to settle things. If there’s beef, he’d rather handle it on his own account than through anonymous ones, and “I’m gonna throw subliminals back.”
How a Podcast Interview Turned Into a Feud
It started last month when Suns owner Mat Ishbia, on a CNBC Sport podcast, looked back at the 2023 blockbuster that brought Durant to Phoenix. Ishbia admitted he had thrown money at the problem and said stars alone don’t deliver championships.
Durant answered on X with #blameKD and a jab that Ishbia was acting like he’d been arrested for a DUI. That line was aimed at Brooks, who was arrested on suspicion of DUI in March. Ishbia replied that he hadn’t blamed Durant. Then Brooks jumped in on Instagram, thanking the owner for cleaning up the “stench” in the locker room before he arrived.
Brooks came to Phoenix last summer in the package Houston sent for Durant, along with Jalen Green and the No. 10 pick.
Durant’s Return and a History of Heat
Durant’s first trip back has taken a while. He missed the first meeting in Phoenix on Nov. 24, 2025 for a personal family matter. Houston won all four games against the Suns last season, including Durant’s game-winning three-pointer in Houston on Jan. 5. He then scored 24 points in a 119-105 win in Phoenix on April 7, and he and Brooks were caught arguing in the first half that night.
Suns Look for a Spark Against the 7-2 Rockets
The Suns are 2-5, but they snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over Orlando on Thursday, the second night of a back-to-back. Houston is 7-2, coming off a home loss to Minnesota.
Not everyone in Phoenix thinks the beef will matter. Guard Collin Gillespie, who played with Durant in 2024-25, says it’s off-the-court stuff and the focus is winning. Green admits there’s still energy there against his old team.
Teammates may shrug it off. Brooks clearly isn’t.
Suns Forward Fires Back at Rockets Star Before Saturday’s Showdown