Durant calling Westbrook to the Rockets? “He deserves a spot in the NBA”
Kevin Durant made his Rockets debut: 20 points on excellent shooting percentages. And then he sent a message to Russell Westbrook
Kevin Durant makes everything look ridiculously easy. In his preseason debut with the Rockets, Houston defeated the Utah Jazz 140 – 127, and KD put up 20 effortless points – shooting 70% from the field (7 of 10 after missing his first three shots) and 50% from three.
The matchup against Utah was the first test – not particularly competitive – to see whether this new version of Houston can have real title ambitions. After the game, Kevin Durant talked about what impressed him the most: Reed Sheppard, the 21-year-old point guard from Kentucky tasked with replacing Fred VanVleet, who is out for the entire season with a knee injury.
I liked his aggressiveness. I keep telling him to put his head down and create for us, and tonight he did that – especially in transition. It’s a step in the right direction
Kevin Durant
Sheppard finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, shooting efficiently and showing the kind of boldness veterans love. For him, the coming weeks are crucial: until December 15 – the date when Houston could make roster moves – the starting spot is his.
That’s when we’ll see whether the Rockets have found a young player to build around or if they’ll need to look for an immediate veteran solution – maybe a certain Russell Westbrook, still a free agent and, according to rumors, open to reuniting with Durant and Steven Adams.
Russ is a legend of our game and deserves to be in the NBA
Kevin Durant
For now, though, the stage belongs entirely to Sheppard. It’s his moment to prove he can lead these Rockets. And who knows – maybe in a couple of months, Houston will realize they don’t need any savior at all.