HOUSTON — Star ahead Kevin Durant mentioned Houston Rockets gamers and coaches are “pissed off” as they fell to 0-2 with a 115-111 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday evening.
However Durant additionally views that early-season frustration as a superb factor.
“Teaching workers is pissed off, gamers are pissed off,” he mentioned. “We would like a greater consequence, and it’s early, too. So for us to really feel that approach I like that type of vitality.”
Durant dropped 37 factors on 9-of-18 taking pictures, whereas going 16 of 18 from the free throw line. However that outburst in his Houston house opener, which noticed Rockets legends Yao Ming and Hakeem Olajuwon sitting courtside, wasn’t sufficient to offer his new crew its first win.
Like their season-opening 125-124 double-overtime loss to the defending champion Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, the Rockets’ loss to the Pistons (1-1) got here right down to the wire.
However gamers refuse to just accept ethical victories, not with Durant now on a crew that was the No. 2 seed within the Western Convention final season and entered this one with the fifth-best odds to win the NBA title at 14-1, in keeping with ESPN BET.
“Simply really feel like we haven’t performed a superb sport but,” guard Amen Thompson mentioned. “It’s been two shut video games. We will’t hold saying that on a regular basis. We wish to play nice video games. We’ve championship-level expectations. So simply attempting to play our greatest sport each sport. Unhealthy video games occur, however we’re nonetheless attempting to win these.”
The sport was tight late within the fourth quarter as Durant dribbled up the court docket with lower than 30 seconds remaining. Each Rockets fan rose anticipating a bucket to tie the rating or take the lead as Houston trailed 113-111.
Durant rapidly doubled off a pick-and-roll and handed it to Alperen Şengun, whose shot was blocked by Pistons ahead Paul Reed with 16 seconds left. Detroit guard Cade Cunningham was fouled shortly after and secured the win by draining two free throws.
Durant admitted he’s nonetheless discovering the steadiness on taking up video games versus letting his teammates get in rhythm. He had 14 factors within the fourth quarter; no different Rockets participant scored greater than three.
“It’s a steadiness I felt like after I got here again in that fourth quarter,” Durant mentioned. “I received aggressive and made them double me, and I feel we received some beauty.”
Durant, who signed a two-year, $90 million contract extension with the Rockets on Sunday, has flashed what he may very well be for the crew by two video games. He’s averaging 30 factors on 53% taking pictures from the ground whereas changing 43% from the 3-point line.