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Rockets’ Kevin Durant minds the game, brilliantly explains mid-range jumpers
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- Rockets’ Kevin Durant minds the game, brilliantly explains mid-range jumpers
The post Rockets' Kevin Durant minds the game, brilliantly explains mid-range jumpers appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Kevin Durant hasn't played a minute for the Houston Rockets , but he's already making his presence felt, not with a ball in hand, but with a microphone in front of him. On the latest episode of Mind the Game, Durant joined LeBron James and Steve Nash to talk hoops, per Houston chronicle. Not trades. Not gossip. Just the art of basketball.
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The episode was recorded before his trade to Houston, but what Durant said still carries weight for what lies ahead. Since 2020, he has hit over 41 percent of his three-pointers while averaging only 5.5 attempts per game. That is intentional. "The midrange game is coming back for sure," he told LeBron and Nash, signaling a shift in how elite scorers navigate the floor.
Durant made it clear that not every player should be told to launch threes. "You can't tell Bron, Luka or Austin Reaves not to shoot midrange shots. Just be you," he said. Shot selection should match a player's skill set, not just a spreadsheet.
He recalled a game from his Phoenix days against Cleveland when Celtics forward Georges Niang told him to shoot more threes. Durant disagreed. "The dudes around me need to shoot more threes. I'm playing my game." If the defense collapses, he'll kick it out. But if the clock is ticking down, the best scorer needs to take charge.
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A message for Houston: Let the scorers cook
Durant spelled it out clearly. "When there's five or six seconds left, give it to your best player," he said. "If he pulls up from midrange, that's a good shot." What teams should avoid is putting the ball in the hands of a role player like Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O'Neale with two seconds on the clock and hoping for a contested three. That kind of offense is not built to last.
Steve Nash backed the sentiment. The midrange is not outdated. It just needs to be taken by the right players. "It has to come from the right dudes," Nash said. Role players stretch the floor, but stars break defenses with rhythm, timing, and precision.
After Houston struggled in the halfcourt during their playoff exit against Golden State , Kevin Durant 's mindset offers something new. This is not about looking flashy. It is about trusting instincts, playing smart, and getting the best shot when the moment demands it.
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