Kevin Durant erupted for 34 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter, as the Phoenix Suns erased a 23-point deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 119-117 at home on Tuesday.
Backup guard Collin Gillespie played the entire fourth quarter, scoring 10 points to help secure the Suns' improbable win.
Phoenix entered the final period trailing by 19, marking the largest fourth-quarter deficit overcome for a victory in franchise history, according to the team's social media accounts.
Durant sparked a 13-2 surge, cutting the Clippers' lead to eight with 9:57 left. His solo 8-0 run—featuring back-to-back threes and a fast-break dunk—set the stage for a dramatic finish.
Gillespie provided a crucial boost, knocking down a three-pointer at 8:49 and setting up Devin Booker’s go-ahead layup with just over three minutes left. He sealed the Suns' lead with another triple at the 35-second mark. Booker finished with 17 points, a team-high eight rebounds, and five assists.
Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with a career-high 35 points on 15-of-19 shooting, adding 10 rebounds. James Harden recorded 21 points and a game-high 15 assists, while Kawhi Leonard contributed 21 points.
Phoenix controlled the opening quarter but struggled in the second and third, trailing by as many as 23 points. The Suns shot just 31.8% in the second period, committing eight turnovers.
Despite a lackluster first half, Durant and Gillespie’s fourth-quarter heroics turned the game around, giving the Suns (29-33) a crucial victory ahead of their upcoming four-game road trip.
Phoenix now travels to face the Denver Nuggets (39-22) on Friday at 8 p.m. The Clippers (37-26) will host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
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