Kevin Durant’s night against the Celtics looked nothing like the kind of workload fans are used to seeing from one of the league’s most prolific scorers.
In Houston’s 109-93 win over Boston on Monday night, the Rockets moved to 7-1 on the season, but Durant took fewer than seven field goals for only the fourth time in his NBA career. He finished with 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting, and after halftime he took just one shot in 16 minutes. For the first time since March 15, 2022, when he was with the Brooklyn Nets, he didn’t attempt a three-pointer.
After the game, Durant brushed off the idea that his lighter shot volume was the story.
“We won the game,” Durant said when asked about his lack of involvement in the Rockets offense. “Why are you singling me out?”
The reduced role has been part of a recent trend. Monday was the third time in four games that Durant attempted fewer than 10 shots, and he’s averaging 12.3 shot attempts per game - more than five fewer than last season and six below his career average.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka said the challenge is keeping Durant involved while also working around the way defenses are guarding him.
“I got to do a better job putting him in spots to avoid being double-teamed,” Udoka said. “I know he gets frustrated at times, but we got to stay the course and understand what's good for the team, but also keep him engaged and keep him moving.”
Udoka said he and Durant talked during a third-quarter timeout, but the conversation was about getting Durant to attack more, not about frustration over touches.
“If teams are going to deny him at half court, there are some counters,” Udoka said. “He gets the back door every now and then because of how they guard him, and so that’s what (the discussion) was about.”
“I wanted movement. He was like, ‘They’re denying me, and let the other guys go to work,’ but it's finding that balance of still keeping him engaged, involved, and letting other guys be aggressive as well.”
Durant played 33 minutes Monday, and the shot count stood out even more because of how rare it has been in his career. The last time he attempted fewer than seven shots while playing more than 12 minutes came on Feb. 28, 2017, when he suffered a knee injury in the opening two minutes against the Washington Wizards.
Overall, Durant has attempted six or fewer shots just four times in his NBA career: Dec. 29, 2007, when he took one shot in 11 minutes; Feb. 27, 2009, when he took three shots in eight minutes; Feb. 28, 2017, when he took one shot in two minutes; and Monday, when he took six shots in 33 minutes.
Still, Durant said his influence goes beyond the box score. The 15-time All-Star, who ranks fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, said defenses are still reacting to him even when he isn’t the one finishing possessions.
“They’re going to double-team. They’re gonna shade guys to me, even when I don’t have the ball,” Durant said.
“My presence alone is impactful to the game of basketball. I don't have to shoot.
I don't have to dribble. Just me being out there is gonna cause a reaction of the defense, and my team is taking advantage of it.”
Even with Durant taking fewer shots than usual, Houston’s offense has been rolling. The Rockets are second in the NBA in offensive rating at 121.2 points per 100 possessions.
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