Houston Rockets News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Mar 28, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) brings the ball up as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) defends him in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Kevin Durant Will Completely Change Houston Rockets' End-of-Game Offense

Originally posted on Houston Rockets on SI
By Lachard Binkley | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Houston Rockets showed significant improvement in several areas last season. They went from a top 10 defense the season before to a top five defense. Even though they were one of the better rebounding teams in 2023-24, they were even better last season as they had the best rebounding season for the franchise since the 1970s.

Of course, the most significant improvement was in the win column as the Rockets went from 41 wins in 2023-24 and just missing out on a play-in bid to 52 wins and finishing second in the competitive Western Conference. One area the Rockets struggled in, which ultimately cost them in the playoffs, was their clutch-time scoring.

With the Rockets becoming a more competitive team in 2024-25, that meant they were involved in a lot of close games throughout the season. The Rockets were involved in 44 clutch games last season, which was tied for third in the NBA.

The Rockets improved their win percentage in those games last season compared to the 2023-24 season. They won 26 games last season compared to only 17 the season prior. However, their efficiency from the field was an issue as they were one of the worst teams in the NBA when it came to points and field goal percentage in the clutch.

The Rockets ranked 22nd in points per game in the clutch and tied for last in field goal percentage, shooting only 38.1%. Those numbers, unfortunately, translated to the playoffs as well. The Rockets ranked last in points and tied for 11th out of 16 teams in field goal percentage. These types of numbers were one of the main reasons the Rockets felt they had to make a change and bring in a superstar-level player, and that is precisely what they did when they traded for future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant.

Kevin Durant will transform the Houston Rockets' clutch offense

Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Enter Durant, who has been one of the most efficient players in NBA history. For Durant's career, he is shooting 52.7 from the field, which is impressive for any player but especially someone who operates outside of the paint as much as Durant does game in and game out.

That efficiency carries over to clutch time, which is demonstrated by his two NBA Finals MVP trophies. Kevin Durant by himself averaged 3.1 points in the clutch in 2023-24. The Rockets as a team only averaged eight points per game last season. Durant shot 31-of-65 in the clutch last season on over 47 percent from the field.

The Rockets are expecting to compete for a championship this season after making several win-now moves this offseason. The Rockets know they will be involved in a lot of close games next season, especially in the playoffs, and having a legit late-game scorer like Durant in the lineup could be the difference between a championship run and another first-round exit.

This article first appeared on Houston Rockets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: