Kevin Durant Accepts Defeat in His Debut with the Rockets Against Oklahoma City
In an exciting match that extended to double overtime, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Houston Rockets with a score of 125-124 at the Paycom Center. Kevin Durant, in his expected debut with the Rockets, took responsibility for the defeat, pointing out key errors that, according to him, cost his new team the game.The night was marked by the Oklahoma City NBA champion ring ceremony and the raising of their banner. Durant scored 23 points on 9 of 16 from the field, but committed two crucial errors. One of them was a foul on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the final seconds of the second quarter, which allowed the latter to make the decisive free throws. The first Durant error occurred at the end of regulation, when he missed a free throw with the score 103-102 in favor of the Rockets. Gilgeous-Alexander took the opportunity to tie the game with a 16-foot shot. In addition to the missed free throws and the foul, Durant almost made a mistake in the first overtime by calling a timeout that his team didn’t have, which drew boos from the fans. The referees did not penalize the action, as they did not see Durant’s signal. Despite his irregular debut, Durant showed glimpses of what he can bring to the Rockets’ offense. He performed well in two-point shots and proved to be a reliable option in key moments. The team’s strategy was to look for Durant when time was running out. Alperen Sengun, Durant’s teammate, had an outstanding performance with 39 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists, setting personal records. Durant praised Sengun’s performance and highlighted his importance to the team. The Rockets’ starting five, with an average height of 82.2 inches, was the tallest in an opening game since the 1970-71 season. Durant played as a guard, a position he hadn’t held since 2009, alongside Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Steven Adams. Durant emphasized the importance of teamwork and the need for all players to be prepared to take on responsibilities in crucial moments.“I missed the free throws and fouled at the end. I think those two plays are the reason we lost,” Durant declared.
Kevin Durant
