March Madness has begun and all the teams are betting on their promising star players to deliver on the hardwood in order to clinch the national championship.
There's no telling how many more times we'll see LeBron James and Kevin Durant face each other with their careers nearing an end. The two have formed some of the greatest head-to-head duels in league history, meeting in three NBA Finals and 45 regular-season games across 19 seasons.
The Houston Rockets hosted the Los Angeles Lakers for their second meeting of the season. Having won the first game on Christmas Night with a wire-to-wire blowout on the road, the Rockets now looked to take the season series in this second of three scheduled matchups.
The Houston Rockets started the season as one of the heavyweights from the Western Conference. With Kevin Durant leading the lines and the likes of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr and Reed Sheppard forming the supporting cast, the Rockets have the roster to fight with the top teams in the Conference.
Heroes run the NBA, but every story also needs a villain. For some franchises, it's a particularly hated opponent, but every now and then, it's one of their own.
We've heard (and seen) the emergence of Reed Sheppard on this year's Houston Rockets team all season. We've all beared witness to it. The Rockets are 5-2 when Sheppard scores 20 points this season.
Kevin Durant has been as advertised for the Houston Rockets this season. Not that it's a shock. We know what Durant can do and exactly who he is. He's one of the greatest players ever and is on the cusp of surpassing the greatest player of all time in scoring in Michael Jordan.
Basketball has changed so, so much since it was first played in the late 1800s. The NBA has a lot to do with this, and there are even a handful of players who can be credited with influencing significant shifts on their own.
As the Los Angeles Lakers continued their onslaught, times are not good for Kevin Durant. Just a few days ago, the Houston Rockets locker room was ravaged by the chaos on Durant’s burner social media account.
The Houston Rockets continued with their sloppy and ugly offensive basketball, turning the ball over 22 times and falling apart down the stretch for a 100-92 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers.
It wasn’t a night Kevin Durant would want to remember. After scoring 16 in the first half against the Lakers, he was completely neutralised. The Lakers sent doubles and forced Durant into tough positions.
In a defensive masterclass that shifted the momentum of the Western Conference playoff race, JJ Redick orchestrated a second-half trap that left Kevin Durant searching for answers.
Houston Rockets star Alperen Sengun will not suit up against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. According to the team, the star big man has been ruled out due to lower back pain.
This year's Houston Rockets team has been a bit of a throwback, as it pertains to their style of play. The Rockets like to get stops on the defensive end of the floor and get out in transition, using their youth and athleticism to their advantage.
Fred VanVleet is still working his way back from a torn ACL. But the Houston Rockets guard says he has not closed the door on playing again this season.