In other games, the Clippers defeated the Warriors despite Stephen Curry scoring 27 points, and OKC suffered its second straight loss.
Published January 6, 2026
Kevin Durant made a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left, giving the Houston Rockets a 100-97 victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns and advancing to a four-game season series.
Durant made 1-of-11 from behind the arc and then sank the game-winner, capping Monday’s performance to 26 points.
Jabari Smith Jr. had 17 points and seven rebounds, helping Houston erase a 13-point second-half deficit and assisting on Durant’s 3-pointer.
Durant had 10 rebounds and four assists, and Armen Thompson had 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists. The Rockets made just 9-of-37 shots from behind the arc (24.3%).
Devin Booker paced the Suns with 27 points, going on a 10-0 run that erased a 94-87 deficit in the fourth quarter. Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neal each scored 15 points for the Suns.
Phoenix built its biggest lead early in the third quarter when Booker made an alley-oop to Mark Williams, then Brooks made a 3-pointer to force a turnover in Houston’s backcourt, and Booker added a pull-up jumper to extend the advantage to 69-56.
However, Durant and Thompson, helped by two 3-pointers from Smith, led the Rockets into the final period, even with the score tied at 78-78.
Clippers beat Warriors despite Curry’s late flurry
Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard led the way with 24 points, Kobe Sanders scored 20 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers overcame the absence of James Harden to defeat the visiting Golden State Warriors 103-102.
Leonard had a double-double with a game-high 12 rebounds, and Ivica Zubac had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, but they knew before the game that Harden would be out with a stiff shoulder.
Stephen Curry took advantage of a second-half flurry to lead all scorers with 27 points, and Jimmy Butler III scored 24 points for the Warriors, but he vigorously contested a non-call for a possible goaltending violation by the Clippers, and coach Steve Kerr drew two technical fouls and was ejected early in the fourth quarter.
Hornets Shock OKC Thunder
Brandon Miller scored 28 points to lead the Charlotte Hornets to an impressive 124-97 road victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The loss was OKC’s first regular-season home loss against an Eastern Conference opponent since March 2024, and its first loss against an Eastern team in a year. It was also the first time this season that OKC was held to fewer than 101 points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points on 7-of-21 shooting, and Jaylen Williams and Chet Holmgren had 16 and 15 points, respectively. The Thunder shot 59.1% from the field in the first quarter and then finished the game shooting 37%.
Charlotte’s surprise win was its first win over OKC since March 2023. Miller’s dominance was further strengthened by Con Knuppel’s 23 points and five 3-pointers, and Miles Bridges’ double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds. Moussa Diabate also had a team-high 12 boards. Additionally, the Hornets shot a season-high 51.4% from beyond the arc.
Brown helped Nuggets defeat Sixers
Shorthanded Denver defeated Philadelphia, with Bruce Brown scoring the decisive goal with 5.3 seconds left in overtime.
The Nuggets were without seven of their top eight scorers and all five starters, but Jalen Pickett made up for it with a career-high 29 points. Brown also made a key contribution, drawing a goaltending call from Joel Embiid on a transition layup attempt.
Embiid led the Sixers with 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyrese Maxey had 28 points and V.J. Edgecomb had 17 points. Philadelphia’s winning streak ended at three with this loss.
