Veteran Kevin Durant Clears Misconception About Youngsters in Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant jokingly said that he brings "The Energy" to the Rockets young roster.

Veteran Kevin Durant Clears Misconception About Youngsters in Houston Rockets

Kevin Durant was furious (Image credits - Firstsportz)

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The Houston Rockets, led by Kevin Durant, were coming off a bit of a slump heading into Friday’s matchup. They had lost five out of their last seven games. However, they recorded an impressive 110-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Toyota Center. It was Durant who put on a show for the home crowd as he recorded a season-high 39 points to go along with four rebounds and seven assists.

It was the Rockets’ 13th win in 16 games at home, highlighting their home dominance this season. It was an important win against a Wolves side without their star player, Anthony Edwards. The win propelled the Rockets to 24-15 as they are currently placed at fifth in the Western Conference standings and closed the gap on the fourth-seeded Wolves, while the Wolves dropped to 27-15, just 1.5 games ahead of the Rockets.

Kevin Durant appears to be enjoying his time in Houston. Last week, after suffering consecutive defeats to the Portland Trail Blazers, Durant cut a frustrated figure during a timeout in the fourth quarter and was seen throwing a bottle on the floor. Many believed that his reaction was due to the struggles of his teammates and the team blowing their lead in the fourth quarter.

However, Durant was in high spirits after the impressive win on Friday night and was asked about the energy his younger teammates bring in every night in his post-match interview. Durant said:

I bring the energy brother. They just enthusiastic players, enjoy development, enjoy getting better and I feed off that energy every single day. I come in with energy, they come in with energy and we go out there do it together.

The two-time Finals MVP is having an impressive debut season with the Rockets and has elevated the club’s chances of contending for the championship. Durant has struggled with playoff success since leaving the Golden State Warriors in 2019. This is his third club in the last six years and has often been criticized as a “ring chaser”, as he continues to chase his first ring outside of the Warriors.

Kevin Durant on climbing up in the NBA All-Time scoring list

While there will be debates and arguments over Durant’s ranking in the all-time greats list, there is no debate when it comes to his scoring prowess. Undoubtedly one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen, Durant continues to notch impressive scoring numbers. Against the Trail Blazers, Durant passed Wilt Chamberlain for seventh place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

After his 39-point performance, Durant is just 17 points away from surpassing Dirk Nowitzki for the sixth spot. During his post-match press conference, he was asked about surpassing Nowitzki and his history in the league.

It’s crazy man. Time has flew. You look up to so many players that have accomplished a lot in this league. There are guys that are around me on that list and there’s a lot of players that I have watched over the years and studied and tried to get to know more as individuals and players. Understanding why they are so great and they set the blueprint and standard. I’m just trying to reach it. That’s all I’m doing.

Currently in his 18th NBA season, Durant is enjoying an impressive debut season with the Rockets and is currently averaging 26.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.

Kevin Durant on his former team’s defense

The Oklahoma City Thunder are the defending and reigning NBA Champions. They currently sit at the top of the Western Conference standings with a 35-7 record. One of the main reasons for their dominance is their rock-solid physical defense. They boast the best defensive rating in the NBA have built a reputation as one of the league’s strongest defensive teams.

The Thunder have been criticized for pushing the line with their physicality. But Durant defended his former team amid the criticism.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kevin Durant
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Left) and Kevin Durant (Right) (Image credits – ESPN)

They play with physicality for sure, but that’s what championships organizations do. I don’t think they toe the line or anything. I just think they just play swarming basketball; they all rush to the ball. They play physical off the ball. They got good block shot blocking center. I don’t think they do too much, anything extra. I just think they play together and know how to swarm the basketball.

High praise from Durant, who continues to be one of the best scorers in the league. The Rockets and OKC have clashed twice this season, with the Thunder coming out on top in both fixtures. They are scheduled for their next matchup on February 7.

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