Kevin Durant said his trash-talking to Gary Payton Snr. was "all love" after helping the Phoenix Suns to victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday.

Durant had 19 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Devin Booker had a game-high 31 points as the Suns earned a 130-105 road win at Chase Center.

During several stoppages in the game, the two-time NBA champion was seen conversing with former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Payton Snr., the father of Warriors wing Gary Payton II.

Durant finished the third quarter with a trio of three-pointers before heading to the corner where Payton – a nine-time NBA All-Star between 1994 and 2003 – was sitting.

After the game, the 36-year-old reiterated his respect for the former point guard, revealing this was not the first time they had butted heads. 

"It's always good when I run into an older player, especially if they played in the '90s, because they feel like that's the golden years of the NBA," Durant said. 

"I try to let them know what it would have been like if they'd been on the court with me. They tend to talk down on the mentality of our era's players.

"G's a great sport about it, one of my favourite players, somebody I look up to, got major respect for. 

"I think we started in the summer with Team USA. We were all in the same room with Team USA, and the first thing I said to him was that he couldn't guard me.

"I said: 'You're too small. Those dudes that played back in the day weren't close to me'. I was just talking crazy to him, so I guess we picked it up from there."

Good night, Suns fans! pic.twitter.com/S29jZugEWb

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 1, 2025

Durant said Payton retained his competitive edge, even while watching from the sidelines, adding: "It's always good rapport with the older generation.

"They respect me. I respect what they've done. But there are some players that have still got that competitive edge and wish they were still out there, and still keep that with them everywhere they go. 

"That's GP, and I respect that about him. So, any time, any chance I get to see him, man, we're going to talk this trash until we die. It's all love."

The Suns are back on the road on Saturday, facing the Portland Trail Blazers in the first game of a back-to-back, before they go to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder on Wednesday.