Alperen Sengun Can Maximize Kevin Durant In The Rockets' Offense

The Houston Rockets have a high offensive ceiling due to the gravity created by two integral offensive players. Kevin Durant is the team's deadliest scorer, creating his own shots at will and hitting them at a high rate. Alperen Sengun is the team's most all-around offensive player, creating shots for others and dominating one-on-one situations. The combination of Sengun and Durant could become a crucial element of the team's offensive potential.

Both players have complementary skill sets that help maximize each other's games.

Sengun's ability to create from the middle of the floor and move the ball around to open players is one of the most impactful individual skills on the team. He is able to maximize slashers like Amen Thompson and Tari Eason when they cut to the rim, and he can also create open shots on the perimeter for Durant and Jabari Smith Jr.

Durant has already gotten a few open shots from Sengun's passing in Durant's preseason and Rockets debut. The potential is apparent in a limited sample size, as the pair of players move well around each other and don't clog the same spaces needed for their offensive games.

The open spaces in the middle of the floor are the ideal areas for Durant to get a shot off against the defense. He is deadly in the mid-range, hitting floaters and jump shots with elevation that puts his release point over most defenders.

When Durant uses a screen from Sengun at the top of the key, Durant has opportunities at every level of the floor.

It's not likely a defender goes underneath a screen to guard Durant, but Durant's first option is to take a pull-up 3-pointer from the screen if the defender is slow to react. Durant can also drive all the way to the rim or stop short for a mid-range attempt. He can also feed the ball back to Sengun on the roll, creating another branch of options for the team's offense.

Durant can accomplish similar spacing and scoring with other big men, like Clint Capela and Steven Adams. However, Sengun is the one player on the team capable of playing off of Durant's abilities and enhancing them even further.

If both players can continue elevating each other, the Rockets' offense could be a threatening element to their game. When combined with their elite defense and rebounding, Houston's title prospects could see a major jump.