Kevin Durant takes the blame for the 2 game losing season opener
The Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder wasted no time getting back into the swing of this NBA season as the two Western Conference contenders played a classic opening night double overtime. In the end, it was the defending champion Thunder comes away with a hard-fought 125-124 victory after the affair that set the scene for the season.
Of course, the biggest story of the night was the Thunder hoisting their first banner in franchise history and getting championship rings, but after that it was all Kevin Durant playing his first game with the Rockets after an emergency trade this offseason.
Durant had a quality game on the opening night, scoring 23 points with nine rebounds on 9-for-16 shooting, but was a little quiet in the second half. Late in the game, he made a pair of costly mistakes that hurt the Rockets. After the loss, Durant claimed that those two plays were the ones that doomed Houston and eventually fell to 0-1via Will Guillory of the Athletics.
“I missed a free throw (in regulation) and I fouled (SGA) at the end to give them 1,” Durant said. “I think those two plays are the reason we lost.”
Durant had a chance to extend the Rockets’ lead by three late in regulation with a pair of free throws, but he missed the front end and Houston led by just two. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander responded with a leap in stride to tie the game and send it to free basketball.
Then, in double overtime, Durant finished with a Gilgeous-Alexander assignment on Oklahoma City’s final possession as the Rockets held a one-point lead. After staying solid for most of the possession, Durant bit a pump fake and fouled the reigning Finals MVP. SGA made both free throws as Durant fouled out, unable to answer what ended up being an empty final possession that sealed the loss.
Durant will certainly have plenty of chances to avenge this loss, not only against the Thunder but against the rest of the league as he enters his first season with a new team.
2025-10-22 04:40:00
