It was not the best of nights for Kevin Durant. Arguably one of the greatest pure scorers the game has ever seen, Durant has always been known for his efficient scoring and is often considered to be a walking bucket.
Unfortunately, that was not the case on Wednesday night.
The Houston Rockets have suffered a drop in form and have been inconsistent in March. After a disappointing loss to the Chicago Bulls last game, the Rockets lost their seventh match this month against the Minnesota Timberwolves as they were beaten 110-108 at the Target Center on Wednesday night.
It was a rollercoaster game for both sides. The Rockets threw away a 13-point lead in overtime against a Timberwolves side without their star player, Anthony Edwards. What makes it worse for the Rockets is that they had an 11-point lead with less than four minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Rockets forward Kevin Durant was guilty of some plays in crunch time on Wednesday. Durant, who surpassed Michael Jordan in the All-Time scoring list a few days ago, did record 30 points against the Wolves but shot at just 41% from the field. He committed six turnovers, with one crucial turnover at the end of the fourth quarter, with the game to be won. He even missed a free throw when the Rockets were down 110-108 in overtime.
Durant joined the Rockets in the offseason last year. While the move has been criticized by some as he looks for his first championship outside of the Golden State Warriors, he has been impressive in his first season with the Rockets. He is currently averaging 26 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
The loss was a disappointing one for the Rockets. After consecutive losses, the Rockets have dropped to sixth place in the Western Conference standings with a 43-29 record. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves climbed to fifth place and are now 1.5 games ahead of the Rockets.
Following Kevin Durant's poor display, NBA fans took to the internet to react to his performance and left no stone unturned.
Fans called out Kevin Durant for his poor showing in the clutch. His poor plays cost the Rockets multiple times on Wednesday.
With Anthony Edwards ruled out, the Rockets would have fancied their chances. To make things easier for them, Naz Reid had been ejected, and Rudy Gobert fouled out at the beginning of overtime. However, the Rockets still found a way to let them back into the game and win it.
Following the loss, Kevin Durant spoke to the media in his post-match interview and expressed his thoughts on the team's performance.
Missed shots to be honest, not knocking down shots and turning the ball over. I turned it over six times and missed that free throw. I really believe we lost because I missed that free throw, and I turned it over six times, to be honest. There were plenty of times I went up there thinking somebody was open, I'm trying to pass when I should have shot the ball. That's it, and I've got to make the free throws at the end.
Kevin Durant on what cost the gameWith just ten games to go in the regular season, the Rockets will be hoping to rediscover their form soon. They are scheduled to take on the Memphis Grizzlies next on March 27.
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