Kevin Durant was added to the Houston Rockets to provide elite half-court scoring in the clutch and in the postseason when scoring becomes more difficult. Alperen Sengun’s ascension this season has established him as a legitimate threat in the clutch with his ability to take over on offense. Neither of these players took advantage of an opportunity against the Denver Nuggets during a game that came down to the wire.
A few untimely turnovers and missed shots sunk Houston’s chances at victory late against one of the league’s top teams. Despite strong performances from other players, the Rockets aren’t ready to perform in the clutch against the best if their stars aren’t playing at a high level.
One of the reasons for this is due to the fact that the Rockets defer to both Durant and Sengun at the end of the game, regardless of how the rest of the game has gone.
Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard had the biggest standout performances against the Nuggets, with Amen Thompson as a quality third option throughout the game. Smith Jr. and Thompson hit big shots near the end of the game when they had just seconds to make an unlikely comeback.
However, with multiple minutes still left in the game, the Rockets went to both Durant and Sengun to create offense.
Durant missed a few open opportunities that he has made a history of making in critical moments. Sengun also had some inopportune turnovers as the Nuggets keyed in on disrupting his passing opportunities. Excellent individual defense by Nikola Jokic also made things difficult for Sengun to perform at his best.
When the team’s stars aren’t performing in the clutch, the Rockets don’t have many counters to rely on. They are content living and dying by the performance of their best players, who are the most proven contributors in the most important moments.
There isn’t enough trust to have Sheppard or Thompson to lead the offense in the clutch, and there isn’t enough space on the floor to have Steven Adams in during the game’s critical moments.
That’s an element that could change throughout the season, as Sheppard is growing in confidence and ability over time. Thompson may not be the best option in the clutch until his handle and scoring ability can raise to an elite enough level to perform against other top defenses.
The Rockets will have to hope for either major improvement by their fringe stars, or count on high-quality performances from their established stars to win against the league’s best teams in the clutch. Their loss against the Nuggets is an example of when the Rockets have neither factor.