Durant leads Suns to victory on return to Nets

Kevin Durant’s 33 points inspired the Phoenix Suns to a 136-120 victory on his return to the Brooklyn Nets.

Two-time NBA champion Durant, who requested a trade to the Suns last season, was cheered when a tribute video was shown before the game but booed once the match started.

He also made eight assists, five rebounds and two blocks at Barclays Center in New York.

“Even though I love these people here, I love to shut them up,” he said.

Durant spent more than three years at the Nets before joining the Suns in January 2023 as part of a trade in which Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and four first-round picks left Phoenix.

Durant shared a brief embrace with Nets coach Jacque Vaughn and several former teammates after the game.

Jusuf Nurkic scored 28 points and Devin Booker 22 for the Suns, who denied the Nets a third straight win.

The Suns are sixth in the Western Conference and the Nets 11th in the Eastern.

Anfernee Simons scored 24 points as the Portland Trail Blazers spoiled Damian Lillard’s return with a 119-116 home win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kawhi Leonard contributed 31 points and nine rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Clippers won 125-109 at the Washington Wizards.

Donovan Mitchell scored 20 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter to help the Cleveland Cavaliers see off the Detroit Pistons 128-121.

Coby White scored 35 points as the Chicago Bulls beat the Charlotte Hornets 117-110, while Jimmy Butler’s 31 points led the Miami Heat to a 115-106 win over the Sacramento Kings that ended a seven-game losing streak.

The Oklahoma City Thunder triumphed 105-100 over the Denver Nuggets thanks to 34 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Orlando Magic beat the San Antonio Spurs 108-98, the Minnesota Timberwolves claimed a 121-87 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, and the New Orleans Pelicans ended a three-game losing run by overcoming the Houston Rockets 110-99.