Kevin Durant accepted blame for the Houston Rockets’ 100-92 defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers, stating, “I’m the offense.” However, the team has struggled offensively in crucial moments.
In the fourth quarter, Durant only scored two points, while the team managed 12 points and committed seven turnovers. Although the Rockets’ defense remains solid, their lack of effective playmaking might hinder their chances for a championship.
Kevin Durant’s Scoring vs. Passing
Durant averages 25.8 points per game, with shooting percentages of 51.4 from the field and 40.2 from beyond the arc. While these numbers are impressive, he averages only 4.4 assists compared to 3.2 turnovers.
This is not primarily his role on the Rockets. The leader in assists is center Alperen Sengun, with 6.1 per game. Point guard Amen Thompson averages 5.3 assists but has a low shooting percentage of 22.1 from three-point range, impacting his contributions. Second-year guard Reed Sheppard focuses on scoring, hitting 38.7 percent of his threes while averaging only 3.2 assists.
The Rockets rank among the bottom in the NBA for three-pointers and assists, while also committing the third-most turnovers. This challenges the team’s performance, especially after losing Fred VanVleet to a preseason ACL injury and not effectively replacing him. This issue was evident when the Rockets scored just 35 points with 15 turnovers in the second half against the Lakers.