Kevin Durant Reflects on Loss to Lakers

Kevin Durant didn’t hold back during his post-game remarks on Monday night.

After being effectively shut down due to a defensive adjustment by the Lakers, the Houston star took responsibility for his team’s 100-92 home defeat. He attributed it largely to his own performance, expressing frustration over his contributions, especially late in the game.

With the offense struggling under heavy double teams, Houston managed a dismal 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting during the last quarter, alongside nine critical turnovers.

“I felt like we lost the game tonight,” Durant remarked. He scored only two of his 18 points in the second half and had a hand in seven of the Rockets’ 24 turnovers. “It’s obvious I could’ve made more three-pointers, but that falls on me. Being on offense, it’s clear the other team isn’t going to stretch their resources just for me.”

He added, “I got too comfortable in isolation plays and off screens in the first half. They weren’t going to let me do that anymore. I needed to be smarter and better at handling the ball. I faced double teams and tried to position myself to shoot or be a screener, just providing space for my teammates. I didn’t need to have the ball in my hands as much.”

The Rockets, now sitting at 41-26, have often struggled late in games, particularly when bringing in backups for Durant. Tension rose on Monday with All-Star center Alperen Sengun sidelined due to a back issue.

On the flip side, the Lakers, having won nine of their last ten games, successfully adapted their defensive strategy to tackle Houston’s reliance on Durant, employing various coverages to keep the Rockets off balance.

This game plan bore fruit for Los Angeles, limiting Houston to just 35 points—excluding Luka Doncic’s 36—and forcing 15 turnovers, including six from Durant after halftime.

“Durant is undeniably one of the best players we’ve faced,” LeBron James commented, referring to the strategy to disrupt Durant’s rhythm. “When he shoots, we hope he misses, because he rarely does.” He noted that their defensive adjustments were key: “You can’t stick with the same coverage the whole game and expect positive outcomes.”

The Rockets are currently 1.5 games behind the Lakers for third place in the Western Conference, with a rematch set for Wednesday night.

Durant shot 8-of-16 overall but struggled in the second half, going just 1-of-5. This raises questions about his capacity as the primary ball-handler late in games and whether Houston needs to rethink its strategy going forward.

“This is making us stagnant,” Durant reflected. “When I reach half-court, they anticipate my drive because I know the double team is coming. It just feels like the whole process is too slow.” He concluded, “I think it’s all my fault. Teams look at me, and it feels like I’m facing five defenders. You see extra guys come in to help at the elbows and in the paint. It’s almost as if it’s a zone defense against me. I just need to figure out how to create space for both myself and my teammates.”