Averaging 30+6 per game, Durant performed strongly, but why did the Rockets lose consecutive games and end up at the bottom of the Western Conference?

The NBA regular season begins behind the scenes, and many teams are eye-catching. For example, the Spurs are always ignored. When Fox is still unable to play, Bunyama averages 34.5 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks per game, leading the team to two consecutive victories and not even losing in the preseason! Wenban Yama is also among the competition for MVP in the new season, and he will rise to the top in the third year of his career. There is also the Knicks in the East. After new coach Mike Brown took office, he fully exploited the potential of the substitutes and limited the playing time of core players such as Brunson and Towns to less than 35 minutes. The consecutive wins against the Cavaliers and Celtics are the best proof. Their foundation is not bad, and they are also the favorite to win the Eastern Conference championship in the new season. After the Clippers experienced an upset defeat to the Jazz in the first game of the season, Harden led the team to a victory with the Suns.

But there are also some teams that had high hopes before the season, but their secrets were exposed as soon as the main game started. The most typical example is the Rockets. I remember that 4 months ago, when the Rockets traded for Durant, the US media ranked the Rockets first in the Western Conference in the new season. Even in the preseason, the Rockets have never fallen out of the top three in the Western Conference. But what is more surprising is that at the beginning of the regular season, the Rockets first lost to the Thunder in double overtime, and then unexpectedly lost to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference. They lost two consecutive games in the beginning and have fallen to the bottom of the Western Conference. At this time, Durant said this in an interview. After losing the first two games, the coaching staff was very unhappy, and so were the players. I missed 9 shots (9-for-18 against the Pistons) when I should have made 18-for-18.

What happened to this rocket? First of all, Van Jordan's serious injury left the team lacking a main point of control. This is a fact. Against the Thunder, they had 23 assists and 21 turnovers. Against the Pistons, they only had 15 assists and 13 turnovers. It is difficult to win. But it feels like a pity to lose two games. The Rockets are not lacking in strength. The problem lies precisely with Durant, who is the strongest! Let me give you two examples: In the loss to the Thunder, Durant went into overtime. He took the initiative to limit Alexander, but a fatal foul foul caused six fouls to leave the game, paving the way for the loss. Against the Pistons, the Rockets fell behind by 4 points in the last attack. There was no suspense anymore, but Durant himself felt very good, and Uduka asked for a tactic to shoot a three-pointer for Shen Jing, but Durant finally passed it to Amen Thompson.

Wait a minute, shouldn’t Durant be given the final key ball tactic? Is it normal for Durant to average close to 38 minutes per game with the Rockets in the new season? First of all, Durant is really very strong. Except for his rookie season, as of last season, he has averaged at least 25 points per game for 16 consecutive seasons (not counting the Nets' reimbursement for one season). In the first two games of the new season, Durant averaged 30 points and 6 rebounds per game, and his two shooting percentages were 52% + 42%. As Shen Jing and Xiao Jia said at the media day, when you are surrounded by a giant like Durant, you are always full of expectations and inexplicably excited about the new season. Young people have been desperate before. Those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes, just let go. With Durant, it seems to be an added layer of insurance for young people, but in fact it is also a shackles.

Just give two data examples. Last season, when Shen Jing + Jabari Smith Jr. + Amen were on the court at the same time, they played a total of 483 minutes and beat their opponents by 13.9 points per 100 rounds! This season, including Durant, the foursome lost their opponents by 3.3 points per 100 possessions! Also, the Rockets' five-man combination with the highest efficiency value this season is Shepard + Jabari Smith Jr. + Ethan + Shen Jing + Capela, without Durant. Also, the Rockets' best duo in the first two games was Shen Jing + Ethan, with the highest efficiency value; while Durant's on-off value in the first two games was +6.4. The team won 0.1 points per 100 possessions with him on the court, while the team lost 6.3 points per 100 possessions without him. And Amen+Adams+Shepard are all negative. what does that mean?

Durant can withstand any defense and get 30+ without any difference, but it also drives young people into a circle: Durant must have enough ball rights, and when the point difference is tight, he must look for Durant. If young people lose their creative ability, it means there is no upper limit for improvement. Amen played as the third ball-handling point last season and averaged 4 assists per game. Why did he make more mistakes and fewer assists when he took charge of the No. 1 position in the new season? In fact, everyone is fixed. This is Durant's unique system blessing. This is true from the Thunder to the Nets, including the Suns later. Only the Warriors are different. With Cole's passing and cutting system, Durant is indeed stepping on the shoulders of giants to complete his honorary achievements.

Of course, these are only the first two games. But there is one thing worth worrying about: in a team that does not have the kind of ball control points similar to Van Jordan's to organize the team, and with Durant's "self-contained halo system" style of play, the young Rockets may gradually have their edges smoothed out. The most embarrassing thing is that Durant's style of play does not last long. Just like in the Nets and Suns, he may be overwhelmed and collapse at any time. With injuries coming and going, how long will it take the Rockets to adjust? There really is no solution to this problem. Some fans may ask, what would you say if the Rockets win? But in this fight, how can the Rockets win? If they really rely on Durant to win the game with a 60% shooting percentage, then the Rockets will be no different from the Suns, and they will have no future at all.