The Rockets are in this position in large part because they’ve allowed Durant to be the best version of himself, which in turn has benefitted the team. Durant’s 25.9 points per game lead the team in scoring, and his .510/.400/.888 shooting splits are a reminder of the gravity of his offensive talent that this team so desperately needed. But this new partnership in Houston isn’t aiming to reinvent the wheel when it comes to Durant’s leadership, especially with the future Hall of Famer closer to the end of a stellar career than the beginning. His new environment has empowered KD to just be KD. “I got more comfortable speaking up when I see stuff,” Durant said. “I feel like I study the game a lot. I've been through every situation and experienced every situation. So I feel like that's given me more confidence to speak up when I see things and to help my teammates as much as possible. But it's just been a natural progression of me just being comfortable in the locker room, and also my teammates being open-minded to hear what I have to say.”

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The Rockets are in this position in large part because …

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