Rockets Find New Tactic to Solve Durant Double Teams

Houston's offense has struggled against defenses focused on stopping Kevin Durant, but a new strategy may be the answer.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 5:03am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, geometric painting depicting basketball players and the court broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of navy, crimson, and gold, conveying the conceptual idea of a new offensive strategy against double-teams.A cubist interpretation of the Rockets' new strategy to counter double-teams on Kevin Durant, highlighting the team's skilled big men creating offense from the middle of the floor.Houston Today

The Houston Rockets have found a new way to counter the double-teams that have stifled their offense when facing superstar Kevin Durant. By putting their playmaking big men like Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson in the middle of the floor, the Rockets are creating numbers advantages that allow them to quickly find the open man and punish defenses for over-committing to Durant.

Why it matters

The Rockets have struggled to find answers against teams that focus their defense on shutting down Durant, one of the league's most unstoppable scorers. This new tactic could be a game-changer that helps Houston's offense find more consistent success, especially in close games against top contenders in the Western Conference.

The details

The Rockets' new strategy involves having their skilled big men like Şengün and Thompson operate in the middle of the floor when Durant is being double-teamed. This creates a numbers advantage that allows them to quickly find the open man, whether it's Thompson or Şengün scoring one-on-one, kicking it out to shooters like Jabari Smith Jr., or crashing the offensive glass for second-chance points. When the double-team dissolves, it also gives Durant a better position to attack before the defense can recover.

  • The Rockets have been experimenting with this tactic in recent games.
  • It could prove crucial as the Rockets face off against top Western Conference contenders down the stretch.

The players

Kevin Durant

One of the NBA's most dominant scorers, who has presented a major challenge for the Rockets' offense this season.

Alperen Şengün

The Rockets' skilled young big man who can create offense from the middle of the floor.

Amen Thompson

The Rockets' rookie playmaker who has shown the ability to make the right decisions when defenses collapse on Durant.

Jabari Smith Jr.

The Rockets' sharpshooting forward who can punish defenses for over-committing to Durant.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This tactic still must be proven against some of Houston's main competitors in the Western Conference, but the team may have a framework to mitigate one of its biggest challenges.”

— Trenton Whiting, Author

What’s next

The Rockets will need to continue refining this strategy and testing it against the top teams in the West to see if it can be a sustainable solution to their offensive struggles against Durant-focused defenses.

The takeaway

The Rockets' new tactic of leveraging their skilled big men in the middle of the floor to create numbers advantages could be a game-changer that helps their offense find more consistent success, especially in close games against the league's elite teams.