Kevin Durant granted every Rockets fan their wish in victory over Nuggets

The Houston Rockets earned an absolutely necessary win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, prevailing 115-101.

In the process, Kevin Durant accomplished what every fan has been longing for over the past few weeks. He took the ball into his hands and was completely undeniable, leading the team to a win as their undisputed star scorer.

On the night, he posted 31 points, six rebounds and five assists, going 8-of-14 from the field and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line. Although he took just two shots in the fourth quarter, he was decidedly no longer a passive participant in the team's offensive structure.

As a result, Houston found a much-needed win to get their season back on track.

The Rockets need Kevin Durant to be their star scorer

As much success as the Rockets have found early in the season, fans had a justifiable complaint with Durant's offensive approach. At times, he seemed too willing to defer to his teammates, allowing late-game opportunities to pass him by in favor of maintaining the team's overall offensive flow.

In an ideal world, Houston does not need Durant to take over games on a nightly basis. However, there are times where it is entirely necessary that he flashes his superstar scoring abilities, even if it comes at the expense of the team's other primary options.

Against Denver, this is exactly what happened. Alperen Sengun took just nine shots on the night, totaling eight points, six rebounds and four assists.

While Durant didn't lead the team in field goals attempted (Reed Sheppard did so with 15), he was obviously the Nuggets' primary focus on defense. His ability to not only hit his shots but also get to the free-throw line consistently was, plainly, the reason the Rockets won the game.

This also represents the first time this season that Houston has beaten one of their peers at the top of the Western Conference. Despite their solid record, they have suffered losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets (twice).

Durant's performance and aggressiveness in the fourth quarter is still a trend to be monitored. While the Rockets entered the fourth quarter with a 16-point lead, Durant took just two shots in the nine minutes he played to end the game.

Yet it was still his aggressiveness and his shot-making that gave the Rockets that lead in the first place, and it was high time that Durant showed what every fan has been waiting for over the past few games.