The Houston Rockets’ 2025-26 season was supposed to be special. It was supposed to be the year everything came together.
They pulled off the biggest trade in NBA history to bring Kevin Durant to Houston. They paired him with a young, ascending core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. They had a legitimate point guard in Fred VanVleet. They won 52 games. They finished fifth in the Western Conference.
And then it all fell apart.
VanVleet tore his ACL at the start of the season. Durant — who had been an iron man all year — played just one playoff game before injuries sidelined him. The Rockets lost to a Lakers team that was missing Luka Dončić for the entire series.
A first-round exit. A season of what-ifs. A future suddenly clouded with uncertainty.
But before we talk about what went wrong, let’s take a moment to appreciate what went right. Because Kevin Durant, at 37 years old, delivered a regular season for the ages.
Let me break down Durant’s season, his three signature moments, and why the Rockets’ future might still be bright — even after this disappointment.
The Numbers: Durant’s 37-Year-Old Masterpiece
Let me start with the stats.
Kevin Durant played in 78 games this season. That’s the most he’s played since 2018-19. For a 37-year-old with a history of major injuries (ruptured Achilles, multiple knee issues), that’s nothing short of remarkable.
His averages:
26.0 points per game
5.5 rebounds
4.8 assists
52% shooting from the field
41% shooting from three
87% shooting from the free throw line
Those aren’t “good for an old guy” numbers. Those are All-NBA numbers. Those are “still a top-10 player in the world” numbers.
Durant carried the Rockets’ offense. He was the only reliable shooter on the team. He masked their deficiencies. He made everyone around him better.
Without him, the Rockets aren’t a 50-win team. They’re not even close.
The Playoff Heartbreak: One Game and Done
Let me address the elephant in the room.
The playoffs were a disaster. Durant played in just one game against the Lakers. He was sidelined by a knee contusion and an ankle sprain — injuries that came after an 82-game regular season where he was remarkably durable.
The Rockets lost the series 4-2. The Lakers were missing Luka Dončić for the entire series. Austin Reaves arrived late. The Lakers were undermanned.
And the Rockets still couldn’t win.
Durant’s absence was the difference. The Rockets’ young core — as talented as it is — wasn’t ready to carry a playoff series without him.
But here’s the thing: that’s not Durant’s fault. He played 78 games. He was available all year. He got hurt at the worst possible time. It happens. It’s basketball.
The narrative shouldn’t be “Durant is injury-prone.” It should be “the Rockets need to build a roster that doesn’t collapse when one player gets hurt.”
Moment No. 1: Passing Michael Jordan on the All-Time Scoring List
Let me start with the biggest moment of the season.
Date: March 21
Opponent: Miami Heat
Location: Toyota Center, Houston
With a simple catch-and-shoot three from the corner, Kevin Durant passed Michael Jordan for fifth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Think about that for a second. Kevin Durant — a kid from Seat Pleasant, Maryland — now has more points than Michael Jordan. The greatest scorer of his generation has passed the greatest scorer of the previous generation.
The moment itself was fittingly simple: Reed Sheppard found Durant in the corner, Durant rose up, and the shot splashed through. No drama. No fuss. Just buckets.
The Rockets won the game 123-122 on a tip-in from Amen Thompson. It was a microcosm of the entire season: Durant’s brilliance, followed by the young core’s heroics.
Moment No. 2: Game-Winner vs. the Suns
Let me take you back to January 5.
Date: January 5
Opponent: Phoenix Suns
Location: Toyota Center, Houston
The game was tied at 97. Five seconds left. Kevin Durant caught the ball on the sideline, took a couple of dribbles, and pulled up from a few feet behind the three-point line — with two defenders in his face.
Nothing but net.
The shot dropped with 1.1 seconds remaining. The Rockets won. Durant finished with 26 points.
This was his first signature moment as a Rocket. The crowd erupted. His teammates mobbed him. For one night, Houston forgot about the pressure, the expectations, the weight of the biggest trade in NBA history.
It was just Kevin Durant being Kevin Durant.
Moment No. 3: Heroics vs. the Magic
Let me close the highlights with the most complete performance of the season.
Date: Late in the regular season
Opponent: Orlando Magic
Location: Toyota Center, Houston
The Rockets were down 11 points in the fourth quarter. They looked dead. The crowd was quiet.
Then Durant took over.
He hit the go-ahead three with 2:49 left. Then, after the Rockets fell behind again, he hit an absolutely clutch three with 21.9 seconds left to tie the game at 100.
Alperen Sengun eventually sent the game to overtime. But Durant wasn’t done. In the extra period, with 9.2 seconds left, he hit a pull-up shot that gave the Rockets a three-point lead.
He also had a great block in the first half. He showed both sides of his game — the scoring, the defense, the leadership.
Final line: 35 points, and a victory that felt like a playoff win.
The Burner Account Drama: Did It Matter?
Let me briefly address the controversy.
Around the All-Star break, a supposed burner X account linked to Durant surfaced. The account contained heavy criticism and disrespect directed at his teammates. It was never verified. Durant dismissed it as “Twitter nonsense.”
But the damage was done. Rumors swirled. The locker room chemistry was questioned. Some wondered if Durant’s presence was actually helping the young core.
Based on what we saw on the court, the answer seems clear: the team was fine. The Rockets won 52 games. Durant averaged 26 points on elite efficiency. The young players improved.
Whatever happened on social media didn’t seem to affect what happened on the court.
The VanVleet Factor: What Could Have Been
Let me talk about the injury that changed everything.
Fred VanVleet tore his ACL at the start of the season. He was supposed to be the steadying force — the veteran point guard who could organize the offense, take pressure off Durant, and guide the young core.
Without him, the Rockets had no floor general. They had no one to initiate the offense. They had no one to make the right read in crunch time.
The result? A first-round exit against a depleted Lakers team.
If VanVleet had been healthy, this season might have ended differently. The Rockets might have made a deep playoff run. Durant might not have had to carry such a heavy load.
But that’s the NBA. Injuries happen. Teams adjust. The Rockets didn’t adjust well enough.
What’s Next for the Rockets?
Let me look ahead.
The Rockets have a decision to make. Do they run it back with Durant? Do they trade him and rebuild around the young core? Do they make other moves to improve the roster?
Durant is under contract for two more years (with a player option). He’s still elite. He still wants to win.
But the Rockets need to add shooting. They need a point guard. They need to build a roster that doesn’t rely so heavily on one 37-year-old superstar.
If they can do that, next season could be different. If they can’t, we might be having the same conversation a year from now.
Final Verdict: Appreciate What We Saw
Here’s my honest take.
The Houston Rockets’ season ended in disappointment. There’s no way around that. A first-round exit after 52 wins is a failure.
But let’s not forget what Kevin Durant did this season. At 37 years old, he played 78 games. He averaged 26 points on 50-40-90 shooting (basically). He passed Michael Jordan on the all-time scoring list. He hit game-winners. He carried the team.
The playoff injury was unfortunate. But it doesn’t erase the regular season.
Durant gave Houston everything he had. He was available. He was brilliant. He was everything the Rockets hoped for when they made the biggest trade in NBA history.
The Rockets need to get better. They need to add pieces. They need VanVleet to come back healthy.
But they should also appreciate what they have: one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, still playing at an elite level, still capable of carrying a team on his back.
One thing’s certain: Kevin Durant’s 2025-26 regular season was a masterpiece. And whether the Rockets run it back or move on, that shouldn’t be forgotten.