The Houston Rockets slipped to 0-2 on Friday night with a 115-111 defeat to the Detroit Pistons, and Kevin Durant believes the frustration filling the locker room is warranted—and useful.
“Coaching staff is pissed off, players are pissed off. We want a better outcome, and it’s early too. So for us to feel that way, I like that kind of energy,” Durant told reporters after the loss at Toyota Center.
Durant leads, but late rally falls short
Making his home debut, Durant poured in 37 points on 9-for-18 shooting and hit 16 of 18 free throws. Rockets icons Yao Ming and Hakeem Olajuwon watched from courtside, but the sellout crowd left disappointed after Detroit closed on a decisive run.
The contest mirrored Houston’s double-overtime loss to Oklahoma City on opening night. Trailing by two with fewer than 30 seconds left, Durant drew a double team off a pick-and-roll and fed Alperen Şengün, whose attempt was swatted by Pistons forward Paul Reed. Detroit guard Cade Cunningham sealed the result at the foul line moments later.
Fourth-quarter fireworks
Durant scored 14 of Houston’s 23 points in the final period; no other Rocket had more than three in that span. Through two games he is averaging 30.0 points while shooting 53 percent from the field and 43 percent beyond the arc, fresh off a two-year, $90 million extension signed last weekend.
Locker-room urgency
Rookie guard Amen Thompson echoed Durant’s sentiment, saying the team’s goals demand immediate improvement. “We can’t keep saying it’s just two close games. We have championship-level expectations. We’ve got to play our best every night,” Thompson said.
Houston will look for its first win when it continues the young season early next week, carrying both Durant’s scoring burst and the collective edge he insists the roster must maintain.
Source: Hoops Wire
