Kevin Durant is Putting It on Himself to Improve the Rockets Offense

The Houston Rockets offense has operated at a poor level in the playoffs so far. The return of Kevin Durant, one of the greatest scorers of all time, was supposed to fix that in Game 2, but the result ended up being the same. A disappointing road loss. Now, the Rockets head home for a must-win Game 3 with their season on the line already.

This wasn’t supposed to be the case against the Los Angeles Lakers, who are dealing with injuries to the starting backcourt in Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The Rockets had the advantage coming in and have completely failed at taking advantage.

Unless the offense turns around, the Rockets could get embarrassed further. There were many questions after Game 2 about what needs to change, and Durant was upfront in the press conference about what he needs to do.

Durant Takes Accountability

Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) as he drives to the basket during the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

“Glad to be back out there playing high-pressure moments, but a bad game from me. I gotta be better at not putting my teammates in bad positions when I’m swinging that ball. Sometimes I can beat the double, get downhill, and make the shot easier for them,” Durant said.

He also mentioned the team should be able to get offensive rebounds if he misses, given the fact that there are 2-3 defenders on him. KD is now determined to beat the double team no matter what, even bullying his way to a shot.

“I just gotta be more aggressive and look to score no matter where the double team is coming from…I feel like I can just shoot over those guys,” Durant said.

KD broke it down simply and said the Rockets aren’t shooting the ball well, while the Lakers are. Durant listed all the areas the Rockets are winning, such as shot attempts, points in the paint, rebounding, and possessions. The good looks from three and layups just aren’t going in.

“We had some good plays, some good looks at the rim, but couldn’t knock them down,” Durant said.

The 37-year-old made it clear his injury is behind him and that it was just a fluke accident.

KD explained how the Lakers have been switching and then doubling up on him, which is a bit different from what other teams have deployed against them, such as drop coverage, pick and roll, or straight-up traps.

Either way, Durant and the team know that it is not a real excuse, given the fact that they played the Lakers twice with the double-team defense in the regular season and had plenty of time to figure out the game plan.

“They’re daring us to shoot. They’re daring us to make plays. From the first possession when I get to the top of the key, it’s a double team. They feel confident in that scheme, and it’s on us to make them pay for it,” Durant said.

A key part of that is going all out with no hesitation. It seems like KD is hinting towards that approach in Game 3, and just pulling up for his shot regardless of who is in front of him. While Durant wants to do everything he can to help the Rockets win, that strategy will be interesting to watch.

Even if KD isn’t the primary ball-handler crossing half-court, the Lakers aren’t going to stop with the double. The Rockets have to be aggressive and move quickly when Los Angeles employs their defense.

“I’m not expecting them to not double-team me in certain areas of the floor. Regardless of where I get it at, it’s going to be 2-3 people on me. I just got to be smarter and make the correct play,” Durant said.

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