Rockets learning a harsh Kevin Durant lesson they should've known all along

Kevin Durant is one of the greatest scorers, shooters, and all-around offensive players in NBA history. There isn't an angle on the court from which the Houston Rockets superstar can't efficiently bury a shot, with generational midrange and three-point marksmanship in his repertoire.

That made him a perfect fit for a Rockets team that desperately needed a pure scorer and a knockdown shooter—but Durant was never going to be able to fix the full problem on his own.

Houston finished the 2024-25 season ranked No. 21 in three-point field goal percentage and No. 22 in three-point field goals made. It was also No. 23 in catch-and-shoot three-point field goals made and No. 24 in three-point field goal percentage off of pull-ups.

Durant and surging scoring guard Reed Sheppard have transformed the Rockets' outlook in the latter regard, as the team ranks No. 1 in the NBA in pull-up three-point field goal percentage in 2025-26.

Houston is also No. 1 in the Association in catch-and-shoot three-point field goal percentage. That shocking leap certainly makes it seem as though Durant has successfully remodeled the Rockets into one of the best shooting teams in the NBA.

Context is crucial, however, as the dramatic increase in efficiency is balanced out by the fact that no team is attempting fewer threes than Houston.

Kevin Durant can't single-handedly save Rockets from reluctant shooting

Houston may be No. 1 in catch-and-shoot and pull-up three-point field goal percentage, but it's also No. 19 and No. 28 in attempts. Perhaps this is simply a sign that the Rockets are efficient when attempting long shots and wise to know their limitations.

Unfortunately, it's an issue that translates to the general numbers, as well, as Houston ranks No. 1 in overall three-point field goal percentage and No. 29 in attempts per 100 possessions.

The Rockets are clearly thriving as a defensive-minded team that can get inside and trust its limited number of shooters to do their jobs. They're playing with fire, however, as they expect the select few shooters on the roster to pull the weight of everyone around them.

Against great teams in a postseason setting, the paint won't be as easily accessible and the Rockets will need to be able to knock down open shots with volume.

Furthermore, Houston has benefited from arguably unsustainable efficiency from several key players. Tari Eason, for instance, is converting 50.9 percent of his shots from beyond the arc despite shooting 34.3 percent or worse in two of the past three seasons—and the lone exception was when he shot 36.0 percent and played 22 games in 2023-24.

Alperen Sengun, meanwhile, is shooting 45.9 percent from beyond the arc after never previously making more than 33 three-point field goals in a full NBA season.

With individual and team efficiency likely to regress to something resembling the mean, the reluctance to shoot will likely hinder the Rockets' offense. Durant and Sheppard should address some of those concerns, but the combination of others' unsustainable efficiency and general hesitation to shoot could become an issue.

Durant has successfully elevated the Rockets, but they're actively learning how even an all-time great scorer can't change the full identity and ideology of a team.