Kevin Durant may be 38, but his scoring touch still draws the kind of praise that usually gets reserved for the league’s most unguardable wings. On the latest episode of Mind the Game, LeBron James singled out a move Durant pulled off against Victor Wembanyama and made it clear why the Rockets forward remains such a problem.
“His shot making. His efficiency is crazy… He uses his dribbling ability and his quick-twitch punches to back the defense up just a little bit.
I saw one move he had against [Victor Wembanyama], in the game when the Thompson twin made that unbelievable block. [Durant] had a double cross against Wemby.
He shot-faked, and Wemby was right there, and he gave a little slight fade and shot it over him. I was like, he’s probably the only guy in the league that could probably make that move versus Wemby.”
Durant’s game has still been central to Houston’s strong start, with the Rockets sitting at 7-1. Last season, he earned an All-NBA Second Team selection and finished in the top five in total points scored, and his longevity has helped make him a major piece of the offense.
Still, Monday night’s win over the Boston Celtics turned the spotlight in a different direction. Durant took only six shots in 33 minutes, and it was the fourth time in his NBA career that he had attempted six or fewer shots in a game.
That low volume stands out even more when set against his season average of 20.8 points per game. For most of his career, Durant has lived well above that number; outside of his rookie season, he has averaged at least 25 points per game across a full regular season.
But the Rockets are winning, and that’s the part that matters most right now. Houston beat Boston by 16, with Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, and Jabari Smith Jr. all showing they can step into the moment when needed.
Smith’s recent stretch has been a good example of how quickly things can change from one night to the next. He poured in 30 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder, then followed that up with 14 against the Celtics.
So far, Houston has not lost a game because Durant came up short of his usual scoring numbers. And if the Rockets keep finding ways to win, there’s not much argument for forcing more shots just to make the stat line look prettier.
In Other News...
Spurs May Have Found Exactly The Kind Of Big They Needed
The Spurs have spent the early part of the season sorting out their frontcourt depth, and Tarris Reed Jr. is starting to look like the kind of low-maintenance big who can help stabilize it. Like Golden State rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, Reed is an older rookie at 23, which has made him a little more polished than the usual developmental project. He has not logged heavy minutes, but the appeal is pretty straightforward for San Antonio: he looks NBA-ready in a role that asks him to do the dirty work.
What stands out most is how Reed fits the Spurs need for a reliable backup center who can rebound and hold up when the rotation gets thin. The team does not need him to be a focal point, just a steady presence who can give them competent minutes if other bigs are unavailable. For a roster trying to balance development with real-game usefulness, that kind of player can matter more than the flashier names. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Just Dragged The Sixers Into A Growing NBA Debate
Victor Wembanyama has a way of turning a routine off-court topic into a leaguewide conversation, and his latest comments land right in the middle of the NBAs growing comfort with prediction market partnerships. The 76ers have already moved into that space, announcing a multi-year deal with Kalshi and becoming the first NBA team to have an official prediction market partner, while LeBron James has also been tied to a separate Polymarket arrangement.
Wembanyamas preference was pointed in a different direction, though, as he made clear he would rather put his name behind healthy habits than gambling-related business. Without naming names directly, his remarks touched on the same kind of endorsement decisions being made by stars such as James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and they add another layer to a debate the league does not seem close to settling anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyamas Painful Finals Lesson Could Change The Spurs Faster Than Expected
Victor Wembanyama came away from Game 4 of the 2026 Finals treating it less like a scar and more like a seminar, even if the lesson arrived in one of the most intense moments of his young career. For a player still early in his rise, the chance to feel that level of pressure on the biggest stage is rare, and he framed the experience as something he can carry forward rather than something to dwell on.
The Knicks made sure the night was not comfortable, forcing him to confront parts of his game that still need sharpening, especially his shot selection when physical defenders load up on him. For the Spurs, that kind of postseason feedback can be valuable in a hurry, because it gives Wembanyama a clear blueprint for what the next step has to look like, even if the full answer is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]