Kevin Durant had plenty to say on and off the court Friday night as the Phoenix Suns dominated the Golden State Warriors 130-105 at Chase Center. The Suns' star forward not only helped his team secure an emphatic win, but he also engaged in a heated back-and-forth with Hall of Famer Gary Payton Sr., who was seated courtside.

Durant, who spent three seasons with the Warriors and won two NBA championships, returned to the Bay Area and put up 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting. While his scoring was below his season average of 27.3 points per game, he came alive late in the third quarter, hitting three three-pointers in the final two minutes. His late scoring extended the Suns' lead to 98-79 heading into the fourth quarter, effectively sealing the game.

During a stoppage in play, Durant exchanged words with Payton, a former Seattle SuperSonics great known for his relentless defense and legendary trash talking abilities. Their verbal battle seemed to ignite Durant, who later walked over to Payton’s seat and continued jawing with him after his third three-pointer.

“It's always good when I run into an older player, especially from the ‘90s,” Durant said postgame. “They feel like that was the golden era of the NBA… especially GP. I try to let them know what it would've been like if he'd have been on the court with me.”

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The exchange between Kevin Durant and Payton reportedly began last summer during Team USA training when Durant told the former Defensive Player of the Year that he wouldn’t have been able to guard him. Payton, with nine All-Defensive Team selections to his name, was quick to fire back.

On the court, the Warriors struggled to keep pace. Stephen Curry finished with just 14 points, shooting 1-of-6 from beyond the arc. No Warrior managed to score 20 points, and Golden State fell back to .500 with a 24-24 record. On the other hand, Devin Booker led the Suns with 31 points and 10 assists, while Bradley Beal added 21 points off the bench.

Gary Payton II, son of the Hall of Famer, had a quiet night, scoring just three points on 1-of-6 shooting in 12 minutes of action. The Suns' defense held the Warriors to 42.7% shooting from the field, limiting their usual offensive firepower.

With the win, the Suns are now 25-22, which is good for No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. They will face the Portland Trail Blazers next on Saturday. At the same time, the Warriors missed out on their first three-game win streak since mid-November and are the No. 11 seed in the West with a 24-24 record. They will face the Orlando Magic on Monday.