Kevin Durant shows exactly why he is the Rockets' most devastating weapon

As the Houston Rockets mounted an improbablw fourth quarter comeback to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks, 122-115, the team as a whole suffered from many of the flaws that led to their recent defeat in NBA Cup play.

Yet, Kevin Durant, who was rebounding from a sub-par stretch in his last couple appearances, looked spectacular, proving yet again in the earliest portions of the season why he is the difference-maker that the Rockets desperately need.

On the night, Durant posted 31 points, three rebounds and seven assists while knocking down 11 of his 15 shots from the floor. Most impactfully, however, he was there in crunch time to help close out the game for Houston, putting his dominance on full display in the game's most important moments.

If the Rockets have any chance at championship contention this season, they will be dependent upon these types of performances from Durant, and overcoming the Bucks was an excellent first step.

Kevin Durant shows yet again why he is still one of the greatest scorers in the NBA

As the team's matchup against Milwaukee began to unfold, there were a number of concerning signs that seemed to indicate that the team had not made many adjustments since their rough loss to the Spurs.

They were loose with the ball, and their zone defensive approach was ceding a number of open shots to the Bucks' capable perimeter shooters. By the end of the first half, they were down 10 points, and it seemed as though they could be setting themselves up for another disappointing game.

Yet, Durant scored 22 points in the second half, including seven in the fourth quarter to help take the Rockets over the top. Although it was Sengun who iced the game with an excellent drive past Giannis Antetokounmpo, Durant's presence is what allowed Houston to settle down and ultimately keep the game in reach heading into the final minutes.

Coming off of a pair of games in which Durant shot rather poorly from the floor, the Rockets desperately needed him to return to form in order to get their offense back on track.

As dominant as the team can be defensively and on the boards, they will always require a star scorer beyond Sengun to carry them through games in which the offense lags behind. This is the reason why they traded for Durant in the first place, and, against Milwaukee, his ability to fill this role was yet again on full display: an exceedingly encouraging sign for an emerging Houston team.