The Houston Rockets, once seen as strong contenders for the NBA title after acquiring Kevin Durant in the offseason, find themselves in a bit of a quandary. Currently sitting in fourth place with a 41-25 record, the team’s chemistry has come under scrutiny, particularly from Durant's former teammate, Kendrick Perkins.
On a recent episode of the “Road Trippin’ Show,” Perkins highlighted a noticeable shift in the Rockets' energy. He suggested that the controversy surrounding Durant’s burner account might be affecting team morale.
“I see a disconnect in this organization,” Perkins remarked. “Are they over the allegations of the burner account?
Since the All-Star break, when those allegations surfaced, this team hasn’t been clicking.”
In the early season, the Rockets boasted one of the league's top offenses, even without a traditional point guard. But Perkins pointed out that recent struggles indicate a lack of cohesion, with head coach Ime Udoka needing to call out players to reignite their focus. Perkins warned, “All I know is their a** is going to be sent home in the first round.”
Despite Perkins’ critical tone, his observations aren’t entirely unfounded. Before the All-Star break, Houston had a 33-20 record with an impressive offensive rating of 117.0, ranking sixth in the NBA. Post-break, their performance dipped, with an 8-5 record and an offensive rating sliding to 114.1, now 16th in the league.
Defensively, the Rockets have also seen a decline. Their defensive rating fell from 112.0 (5th in the NBA) before the break to 113.1 (14th) afterward. A 6-4 record in their last ten games highlights their inconsistency, with losses to teams like the Warriors and the Heat.
Interestingly, Durant himself has been a bright spot, slightly upping his scoring to 26.5 points per game since the break, shooting efficiently at 51.5% from the field and 40.6% from beyond the arc. Yet, the burner account saga seems to have stirred some internal strife, affecting players like Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun.
While the team has shown moments of rallying around Durant, the underlying tensions Perkins mentioned might hold some truth. As the Rockets’ status as a title threat wavers, addressing these internal issues becomes crucial for their postseason aspirations.