Kevin Durant's biggest weakness is capping the Rockets' playoff ceiling

Kevin Durant has undeniably been the Rockets’ best player this season and an All-NBA performer, but his weaknesses as a passer are holding the team back. Without many other options to initiate the offense, Durant is being asked to shoulder a heavy burden in the clutch. Unfortunately for Houston, opponents have been able to take advantage by sending doubles his way and exploiting his poor passing.

Kevin Durant has a glaring weakness in the biggest moments

Durant is obviously a cold-blooded scorer in isolation, as any defender over the last 18 years can tell you. But his lack of playmaking is becoming a huge problem for the Rockets in clutch games. There's a reason the Rockets have won just 46% of their clutch games this season (21st in the NBA) and it's because of their offense.

In spite of Durant's uber-efficient clutch scoring, the Rockets still struggle with him on the court. They have been without an experienced point guard all season long thanks to Fred VanVleet's injury and that weakness shows most in the clutch. The stats reveal Durant's complicated role in the Rockets' clutch struggles.

On the season, KD is 4th in the league when it comes to total clutch points. He trails only reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray and Tyrese Maxey. And Durant is doing his scoring on incredible efficiency - 52% from the field, 38% from three and 85% from the free-throw line. But he struggles as a playmaker and his 21 clutch turnovers actually lead the league outright. He's also only countering those turnovers with 22 assists, barely a positive ratio.

The Rockets aren't doing Durant any favors in the clutch

But it's not fair to place the clutch blame squarely on Durant's shoulders. The truth is that his weaknesses have intersected with the Rockets' structural flaws to create a perfect storm of offensive inefficiency. His younger teammates have failed to evolve their offense in a way that makes Durant's life easier when the clock is ticking down.

Fellow Houston All-Star Alperen Sengun is actually second in the NBA in clutch turnovers just behind KD. Obviously having your two best offensive players stand out in this category is a major disadvantage, but may point to roster construction issues more than any individual player's weakness. The Rockets' lack of consistent spacing and uncreative offensive sets in crunchtime are definitely contributing to issues and making it easier for opposing defenses to force turnovers.

Despite the clear limitations of the team, Durant himself must also be better if the Rockets want to have any legitimate playoff ambitions. Compared to the other top offensive talents in the league, his playmaking weaknesses stand out. Improving his passing out of double teams will instantly elevate himself and his team to another level.