Rockets Continue to Show Offensive Improvement After Preseason Win vs. Jazz

When the Houston Rockets traded for Kevin Durant this summer, following it up with supplementary veterans, the goal was to provide a go-to, experienced scorer who could take the load off of the young core in big moments.

The defense was the main reason why Houston made the jump to 52 wins and the second seed in the Western Conference last season. The team ranked fifth in defensive rating, and offense was the clear weakness that could easily be fixed.

Now, through two preseason games, the Rockets' offensive struggles appear to be minimal, if at all. In their opener against the Atlanta Hawks, Houston shot 48.1% from the field and 41.2% from three in the 122-113 win. Here the thing: Durant didn't even play.

Last night, the 37-year-old made his debut in a Rockets uniform, and the offense got even better. Houston routed the Utah Jazz, 140-127, while shooting 53.6% from the field and 38.2% from three. Durant put up 20 points in 23 minutes, going 7-for-10 from the field.

It was clear that Durant simply being on the court allowed other players to thrive. As the defense gravitated toward him, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. took over.

Sengun was an all-around star, especially distributing. He recorded 13 points, five rebounds, 13 assists and four steals.

Thompson, who is usually the utility man that Sengun was last night, took on more scoring responsibilities, putting up 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block. He was still everywhere for Houston, but it's promising to see him get more aggressive on the offensive end.

Smith, the Rockets' third-highest scorer, recorded 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field and 3-for-5 from three. He could receive the most mentoring and show the most impact from Durant being present as a fellow forward who can score in different ways.

Sure, it's preseason, and teams are still figuring things out before the start of the regular season, but the Rockets look ahead of the curve through two matchups. The defense still needs work, as they've allowed an average of 120 points per game, but they're showing little-to-no weaknesses on the offensive end, averaging 131 points per game.

Houston has two more preseason games before facing the Oklahoma City Thunder during their championship ceremony on Oct. 21. If the offense can remain elite with Durant on the floor, the Rockets will end up being the title contender everyone knows it can be.