The Western Conference is going to run through the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder this season. Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are one of the most talented young trios in the NBA, and OKC's Big Three already have one championship under their belt. But there's another contender out West that could make some noise this year: the Houston Rockets.
The Rockets held their media day on Tuesday, and Kevin Durant was asked about a potential minutes restriction this season after being among the league leaders in minutes last year. "Why?" Durant responded when asked about the possibility of head coach Ime Udoka wanting to reduce his minutes. "I mean, it's been the same message for me for a long time, man.
The team is better when I'm on the court. "Now, if we handle our business the first three quarters or earlier in the game, then maybe. But just for the sake of getting my minutes just because he's older or he's played a lot of minutes, that's what I'm supposed to be training for is to play the long haul, play 48 minutes a night.
I get the concern, but if the game needs me to be out there, I want to be out there." More news: Ausar Thompson Extension Could Push Jalen Duren Out of Detroit Durant turns 38 on Sept. 29 and is set to play in his 19th NBA season, which puts him only a few years behind LeBron James' all-time record of 23 seasons played. The fact that Durant is still even in the league is an accomplishment in itself, let alone the fact that he's still playing nearly 40 minutes a night. Last season, his first with the Rockets, he played 36.4 minutes across 78 games.
He still posted elite numbers too, averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 0.8 steals per game, along with 52% shooting from the field and 41.3% from long range. He earned his 16th All-Star nod and received his sixth second-team All-NBA nod. More news: Kyrie Irving Trade Buzz Heats Up Ahead of Mavs Training Camp More news: Jayson Tatum Sets the Record Straight on Relationship With Jaylen Brown However, while Durant has proven he can still play at an elite level this late into his career, Father Time is still undefeated.
It's true that the Rockets need Durant to stay competitive. But they need him more in April and May than they do in November and December. That doesn't mean they'll necessarily restrict his minutes, but the reality is he probably doesn't need to be playing 36 minutes a night until later on, when the competition starts to pick up.
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