Does Houston need a designated ‘last shot' taker? Enter Kevin Durant.
In close games late in the fourth quarter and potentially in overtime, who will take the most important shots?
It's a question that has surrounded NBA teams for generations, and it was a big one for the young and developing Houston Rockets (52-30, No. 2 in the Western Conference) last season.
That's where newly acquired superstar Kevin Durant comes in.
In a new story outlining each team's 'last shot' taker, Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz explains why the 15-time All-Star should be a seamless fit in Houston:
Much of what plagued the Rockets during their first-round playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors was the lack of a go-to scorer in key moments.
Hello, Kevin Durant.
Although Devin Booker took more fourth-quarter shots than Durant for the Phoenix Suns last season (5.0 to 4.3), KD was the team's leading scorer thanks to his incredible efficiency (55.0% overall, 51.9% on 3-pointers).
This is exactly the type of player the Rockets needed. Guys like Alperen Şengün, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. can all contribute offensively throughout the game before letting Durant take over in the fourth.
Durant averaged 6.7 points in fourth quarters last season, ranking among the NBA's top 10 players in that category. What's most noteworthy, as Swartz points out, is that Durant posted those gaudy numbers despite ranking second on his own team in fourth-quarter attempts.
That shouldn't be the case in Houston, where the 2025-26 Rockets will have a clear hierarchy (with Durant at the top) when it comes to half-court shot creation.
So, if Durant can sustain his remarkable fourth-quarter shooting efficiency on even more attempts, there's an opportunity for his Houston arc to be even more fruitful.
More: How will Kevin Durant's game age in Houston? NBA executives see 'new normal'
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