WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO SHINE? NO, WAIT FOR KEVIN DURANT TO DO IT!
Kevin Durant still has it. He remains the unstoppable, three-level scorer he’s always been, with no signs of decline. When Durant is “cooking,” it feels like he can score at any moment. So why doesn’t he take the initiative when the game is on the line in the crucial minutes of the fourth quarter? Why is there a scenario where Kevin Durant only attempts 14 shots in a game that goes into overtime?
Houston Rockets v Denver Nuggets
That’s exactly what happened in Monday’s thriller against the Denver Nuggets. On the surface, it wasn’t a catastrophic loss. But remember, the Nuggets were missing two key starters and lost Peyton Watson early in the game. That should have been enough to give the Houston Rockets an advantage – and even losing to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray is nothing to be ashamed of.
However, this game was particularly frustrating because so much potential was left untapped – specifically from Kevin Durant. Alperen Sengun and Reed Sheppard both took more shots than Durant, while Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. had nearly as many attempts as he did. I’m all for a balanced offensive approach – but there’s no reason for Kevin Durant to be just “another weapon” in this lineup. He’s Kevin Durant! Going 8/14 is a great stat line, but it’s also a clear sign that he should have kept shooting.
Durant’s passivity is not a new issue. It’s hard to blame him for Monday’s loss. He posted 25 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 blocks while shooting 57% from the field. By all measures, it was an impressive performance. But he also took only one shot in overtime and passed up a wide-open three-point look in the dying seconds. It’s frustrating! Does he deserve all the blame? Certainly not. But is it fair to ask him to be more aggressive in crunch time? Absolutely! Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but… He’s Kevin Durant.
Looking back at his time in Phoenix and Brooklyn, Durant’s stats were also impressive. But if you talk to Suns or Nets fans, most will echo the same sentiment: he was awesome, but didn’t seem very interested in “taking over” games. I’m not questioning his resume or his all-time ranking. But there’s a truth here: Durant seems a little too content fitting into the Rockets’ offensive system instead of becoming the system himself when necessary.
Watching Alperen Sengun become the Rockets’ go-to scorer late in games has been fantastic. He is the present and future of this franchise. But witnessing Kevin Durant fully defer to Sengun in closing moments doesn’t seem like the best operational strategy for the Rockets in the 2025-26 season. Knowing that he can take over but chooses not to – that’s the most frustrating part.