ESPN's Kendrick Perkins: Rockets' Kevin Durant's Iso Scoring is Second-Best NBA Skill

The Houston Rockets know a thing or two about isolation scoring. Possibly the NBA's greatest isolation scorer in league history suited up for the franchise for nearly a decade in James Harden. 

"The Beard" could score in bunches, even if defended by practically the entire opposing team at once. We saw the defensive coverage he'd receive: four defenders converging on him at half court.

Because the threat was real. 

The skill and talent couldn't be stopped. 

The Rockets struggled to identify that ingredient after Harden's trade request in 2021.

They just got it back, in an amplified version by way of Kevin Durant, who the Rockets faced three times in a seven year span in the postseason, dating back to his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

The Rockets assigned high level defenders on Durant, like Trevor Ariza and PJ Tucker but it didn't make much of a difference. In fact, Durant referenced Tucker as the most difficult defender to go against, yet it didn't matter.

In the 2018 Western Conference Finals, Durant averaged 30.4 points on 46.1 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from deep, 88.5 percent from the foul line, and 59.6 percent true shooting. 

The following season -- 2018-19 -- Durant and the Golden State Warriors faced Houston in the second round of the postseason and he fared even better, averaging 33.2 points, 45.8 percent from the field, 43.8 percent from three, 84.6 percent from the charity stripe, and 58.9 percent true shooting.

The man can score. And he's one of the best at getting to his spots on the floor. 

It also helps that he's 7-foot, as he can quite literally tower over opponents and get his shot off.

ESPN's Kendrick Perkins knows a thing or two about Durant. The two were teammates for half a decade and even went to the NBA Finals together.

Perkins compiled a list of the five best skills and/or talents in the NBA currently and the Rockets forward came in second, specifically as it pertains to his isolation scoring. 

"Durantula. KD. Cause of his ability, Mr. 50-40-90, to be able to create and get buckets out of the isolation at seven-foot. I don't care if you talk about he's 6'11, the man is seven-foot."

Durant's surefire scoring is what the Rockets hoped to nab with Jalen Green, but he wasn't able to put it together consistently.