Kevin Durant had message for Suns after sinking them with game-winner

Kevin Durant lifted the Houston Rockets to a win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night with a game-winning shot, and he clearly enjoyed playing hero against his former team.

Durant hit a three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to give Houston a 100-97 lead over the Suns. The Rockets held on to win and improve to 22-11, while Phoenix fell to 21-15. Durant had a team-high 26 points but made just 2-of-12 three-pointers, picking the perfect time to bury his second on a night where Houston shot just 24 percent from long range.

Durant, of course, spent the last two-plus seasons with the Suns before being traded to the Rockets. That is why many wondered if he was out for revenge against his former team.

Kevin Durant sends a message to Suns

During his postgame news conference, Durant was asked if his game-winning shot was more satisfying since it came against Phoenix. He did not exactly avoid the question.

"Most definitely, you know what I'm saying?" Durant responded. "A place that I didn't want to leave and my first time being ... I don't want to sound too dramatic, but I will. To be kicked out of a place, you know what I'm saying. It felt like I had been scapegoated for the issues we had as a team last year. Yeah, it felt good to beat them and hit a game-winning shot."