Kevin Durant walked in the interview room Friday after the Rockets’ ended the Atlanta Hawks’ 11-game win streak and, in an inversion of the usual dynamic, asked the assembled media a few questions

“How was the body language tonight? Was it good? How was the vibes?” Durant asked, likely referring to regular scrutiny of him and Houston’s in-game dynamics.

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While it hasn’t always been smooth going for Houston this season, the vibes during and after thrashing the Hawks to snap a two-game skid seemed pretty, pretty good. Durant explained his queries to the media later in the press conference.

“When we lose, we’re easy targets. Well, I’m an easy target. Everywhere I’ve been, it feels like when we lose games, it’s like, ‘Look at KD’s body language. Look at him not smiling when we’re losing,'” he said. “But when we win and chest bumping, smiling, having a good time over there, it never gets talked about.”

That’s just the name of the game, Durant said, adding that he feels people hate-watch Houston’s games just to find areas of criticsm. Back to back losses to the Lakers – two games where aggressive double-teams limited Durant’s ability to score – brought out “the vultures,” he said.

That wouldn’t be the last comparison he made.

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“In order for that not to happen, we gotta win basketball games… it will quiet out the noise,” he said. “… But I see them coming back out the basement, the woodworks, the attic. They come out the cracks and crevices. They like roaches, those people.”

Jabari Smith Jr., asked about Durant’s comments, said the vibes have been good – even through the losses.

“Ain’t nobody overly tripping,” he said.

The Rockets won’t hang their head or act like the world ended if they lose a game as long as they put forth their best effort and do the right things, he said. Sometimes shots aren’t going to fall. Staying consistent with energy and approach is both their goal and the mark of a great team, Smith Jr. said.

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Alperen Şengün said the Rockets talk all the time and need to talk more. When everybody communicates, there isn’t confusion.

“When everybody say something, we still can agree with each other and then go from there,” he said. “… Communication is key.”

The vibe isn’t going to be great for Houston after losses – nor should it be for a competitive team. But the Rockets don’t act like a fractured locker room, with players often joking around with each other. Those relationships could allow for more explosive in-game interactions – both Durant and Şengün can be expressive and coach Ime Udoka, as Fred VanVleet said recently, is cussing the whole game – to happen without long-lasting repercussions.

This article originally published at Kevin Durant fires back at Rockets’ hate-watchers after win over Hawks. ‘How was the vibes?’.