What the Rockets hoped for and what happened instead
The Rockets traded for Kevin Durant in the offseason to add a veteran leader and a top offensive option. For the most part this partnership has looked promising. On Monday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, however, things unraveled.
Final score and cold shooting
Los Angeles beat Houston 100-92. It was the second time in three games the Rockets failed to reach 100 points. The team also struggled badly from long range, connecting on just 19 percent of their three-point attempts.
Durant owned the loss
After the game Durant said, "I lost the game for us tonight." He finished with 18 points, but only two of those came in the second half. He was 8-of-16 from the floor overall and 0-for-3 from three. Turnovers were a real problem for him and the team. Durant committed seven of the Rockets' 24 turnovers.
How the Lakers made life hard
Much of Durant's second-half trouble came when the Lakers doubled him more aggressively. Durant went 1-of-5 in the second half. Six of his seven turnovers came after the Lakers increased pressure. That disruption limited his scoring and the Rockets' offensive flow.
Key numbers from the game
- Final score: Lakers 100, Rockets 92
- Rockets three-point percentage: 19 percent
- Durant: 18 points, 8-of-16 FG, 0-of-3 3PT, 7 turnovers
- Rockets turnovers: 24 total
What this means for the Rockets
Houston sits at 41-26 and remains a contender in the Western Conference. Still, this game highlighted a clear issue for the postseason. When teams send extra defenders at Durant, somebody else has to carry more of the offense. The Rockets will need more consistent scoring from other players if they want to avoid being shut down by similar defensive plans in the playoffs.
Bottom line: Durant accepted responsibility, but the Rockets must find answers for aggressive defensive schemes or they risk running into trouble when it matters most.
