Follow us on Google Discover Kevin Durant’s role may have changed with the Houston Rockets this season.
The 38-year-old is one of the most efficient players in NBA history and has the ability to destroy teams by scoring 30 or 40 points in a game.
However, this season, Durant has averaged around 20 points a game. Stephen A. Smith thinks he knows why.
Kevin Durant has named the 76ers as one of the favourites for the NBA title next season, however, who is your dark horse and why?
Stephen A. Smith hails Kevin Durant’s new role with the Houston Rockets
Smith has watched Durant for a long, long time now.
The First Take host knows everything the Rockets star is capable of, which is perhaps why he isn’t surprised by his points-per-game average this season.
Smith believes Durant has taken a step back to allow those around him to shine, just so that he can save his energy and do what he does best in the latter stages of the season.
He said on ESPN: “Let me say this about Kevin Durant while I’m here. I looked at his numbers the other day. Do y’all know that the 20 points that Kevin Durant is averaging, which is like his lowest in years, do y’all know why?
“Kevin Durant has taken like 12 shots a game. And so I’m looking at it, and I’m like, now he deserves a lot of credit for that. That’s a wild thing because we all know what he can do. He shoots 53% from the field. He’s shooting more than 40% from three-point range.
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“Why is Kevin Durant averaging 20? Because he’s deferring to the other cats. Because he’s playing the long game. He knows what he’s going to need come what they’re going to need from him come April, May, and possibly June.”
Smith further hailed Durant’s leadership and claimed that he could step up and score 30 or 40 points in a game whenever he feels like it.
He said: “I’m looking at Houston the way KD is flowing. You know, at any time he wants to, he could drop 30 or 40. He could do that.
“So, I’m looking at that and I’m saying testament to him, his greatness, his leadership, his willingness to step back and defer and help upgrade the cats around him. You’re a career 27-point-per-game scorer who’s one of the most efficient offensive superstars we’ve ever seen.”
Durant has come under some criticism from fans and the media for not shooting enough this season, but if this is the reason why, he is right to do it.
The Rockets are 7-2 so far this season and are among the favourites to go the distance. If Durant leads his team in the same way and then starts dominating games late on, Houston could well do it.
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