The Phoenix Suns kept on rolling Thursday night with a hugely impressive 114-96 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
A victory made even better given the Suns were without Devin Booker and Jalen Green for the game, with the Pistons the one seed in the Eastern Conference.
Kevin Durant not a fan of Dillon Brooks' 40 point performance
One player who stepped up in the absence of his more illustrious teammates was Dillon Brooks, who had a career high 40 points in a win that keeps the Suns in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Brooks' being named an All-Star for the first time is rightly picking up serious steam, although Kevin Durant wasn't having any of the fact Brooks now has more 40 points games across this season than himself.
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— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) January 30, 2026
We shouldn't be surprised that Durant felt the need to jump in and defend himself here, it is what he does. It also makes sense that where scoring is involved, and that is among the main reasons he is going in the Hall of Fame, he would have something to say.
But it is interesting that it's Brooks of all players that Durant is clapping back at. Most fans in Phoenix don't blame Durant in any way for how his time there unfolded.
When you're being asked to win big with Bradley Beal, Tyus Jones and Jusuf Nurkic, there is only so far his talents can take you. Even with Booker along for the ride.
Contrast that with this season, and the incredible impact Brooks has had on the culture and winning for the Suns. Obviously he has never been close to the player Durant is offensively.
He was even cool with being traded for Durant in the first place, showing a level of self-awareness that is not common in the league.
But the energy Brooks has brought to The Valley has been different, and perhaps Durant is a little jealous of that fact. Not of Brooks himself, he's already given him his flowers on how he's helped the Suns turn things around, but of the different situations they played.
Durant certainly didn't have a head coach like Jordan Ott, who is quietly building a Coach of the Year case, or teammates like Mark Williams to help.
He's also likely to jump onto social media and clap back at literally anybody, and when you put all of that together it makes sense he would take exception to being called out like this.