Kevin Durant's Birthday Wish Came True With The Rockets

Monday, Sept. 29, marks Kevin Durant's 38th birthday. He spent it being introduced to the faithful fans and media of the Houston Rockets, as he embarks on a journey with his fifth NBA team. Durant is hoping to bring a title to Houston to help bolster his legacy with a team that won't require him to dominate the ball for the team to have a chance. Being on the Rockets fulfills his wish, as the Rockets are well-suited to support Durant without leaning too heavily on him outside of the clutch.

The Rockets have many players significantly younger than Durant who will be large factors in Houston's success next season.

Alperen Sengun is a reigning All-Star, and Amen Thompson is expected to be a borderline All-Star moving into next season. The Rockets also have young role players like Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard to help support the efforts of the team as it openly aspires for an NBA championship.

This team could have the best collection of talent that Durant has had on a team, other than the Golden State Warriors.

Sengun could be the best big man Durant has played with since his Golden State days with Draymond Green. Thompson could be the best defender Durant has played with since Green as well.

Durant's main wish was two-fold: he didn't want to be hidden on offense, but he also didn't want to be the only player who could score consistently. He wants the opportunity to play his game as he sees fit, scoring his buckets within the flow of the game while not feeling like the offense will drown without his contributions.

The Rockets will clearly need his scoring contributions to compete at the highest level, but some teams rely on their stars to compete at any level.

The Rockets have a balanced team that should be able to support Durant and create offense for him in the flow of the offense. Whether he takes the ball himself and dominates in isolation, or gets an easy bucket from the gravity of one of his teammates, Durant is in an ideal situation to be able to focus on his individual game.

One area the Rockets will absolutely depend on Durant in is the clutch. Durant is the most proven clutch player, knocking down big shots when the team needs it in the waning moments of a game. He has a history of hitting crucial shots in the postseason as well.

That caliber of play in the clutch is exactly what the Rockets needed to complete their team and have a chance at a title. As Durant is introduced to Houston on his birthday, both he and the Rockets are getting exactly what they wished for as they aspire for great things this upcoming season.