April 5, 2026, 6:30 a.m. CT
Kevin Durant has lengthy been one of many league’s greatest closers, however he is taken it to a brand new degree just lately.
Since the All-Star break, Durant has arguably been the NBA’s greatest closer by quantity in the clutch. In his age-37 season, he leads the league in clutch discipline objective proportion over that stretch. He’s maintained his elite effectivity regardless of enjoying in 14 clutch video games, tied for the league lead.
Clutch effectivity
Since the All-Star break, Durant has a clutch discipline objective proportion of 62.5%, which leads the league by a large margin. No different participant even has greater than 60%, with Denver’s Jamal Murray in second with a clutch discipline objective proportion of 56%.
Durant has scored on opposing defenses in any respect three ranges, taking pictures 57.1% from deep whereas scoring 4.3 factors per clutch recreation. While he hasn’t been as efficient from the free-throw line, changing simply 76.2% of his makes an attempt there, the 19-year vet has helped maintain Houston’s offense afloat in the clutch regardless of usually seeing double and even triple-teams.
Heading into the playoffs, defenses may ramp up the stress on Durant and Houston’s in any other case pedestrian clutch offense to additional attempt to pressure the ball out of his fingers. That predictability may pose a problem for the Rockets in the event that they encounter a clutch state of affairs in the playoffs, however Durant has proved as of late that he is tailored.
Houston solely has a 7-7 document in their 14 clutch video games for the reason that All-Star break, however with Durant nonetheless closing video games at an elite degree down the stretch, it is arduous to rely the Rockets out in these conditions.
