When Kevin Durant joined the Houston Rockets, he was expected to be the late-game go-to scorer. Instead, at 37, he’s shouldering a massive workload – functioning as the team’s primary superstar.
Many worry Durant is being asked to do too much given his age and injury history. But KD doesn’t see it that way. He said bluntly:
“I feel great. That’s what I’m paid to do. I get paid 50-something million dollars to be available and play, and be there for my team whenever they need me to be there, so it’s on me to prepare the right way so I can be ready for 40-plus minutes. I’m preparing for 48 minutes a night.”
Durant is carrying an enormous load:
- 1,511 minutes played – second only to 23-year-old Amen Thompson.
- 36.9 MPG – second-highest since his 2013-14 MVP season.
- 26.9% usage rate – just 0.1% behind Alperen Şengün’s team-high.
- 17.9 FGA and 6.2 FTA per game – both team-highs.
- Only 45.4% of his two-point field goals are assisted – second-lowest since his MVP year.
Durant added:
“I get that people are concerned because of my age and I’ve had injuries in the past. But I feel solid, and the coaching staff has been doing a good job of rotation, and when I’m in the game too, you got players that can handle the ball, that can guard too. I’m not doing everything. So I feel good when I’m playing. I wanna play more. I don’t want to miss games. I want to play more minutes. I want to help the team as much as I can.”
Udoka Rips Team After Back-to-Back Losses After back-to-back losses – including blowing a big lead vs. Portland – head coach Ime Udoka publicly called out the team:
“You took a 37-year-old out of the game for two minutes, and you lost a 13-point lead. 11-0 run…. That’s what went wrong. Don’t play with any aggression, confidence, mentally weak…. Have a 15-point quarter, 1-17 from three, I think bunch of wide open looks. Making shots help but you have to guard on one end you have to play with some aggression on one end, drive it physically. Take care of the ball and not turn it over, so all the above. But the fact that we have to rely on a 37-year-old is a problem.”
Since Udoka’s comments, Houston is 5-3, with Durant leading the team in scoring in five of those games (including three 30-point outings). They sit 4th in the West at 27-16 – still firmly in contention.
Durant is proving age is just a number. He’s still an elite superstar willing to play 48 minutes a night to keep the Rockets in the hunt.
Rockets fans – can Durant maintain this workload through the playoffs? Or does he need reduced minutes to stay fresh? Drop your thoughts below! Go Rockets!