1.21 points per possession! Durant leads the league in isolation efficiency—can he perfectly address the Rockets’ biggest weakness?

On August 18th, Beijing time, ESPN took a data-driven look at every team’s issues for the new season, and when it came to the Rockets, the key number they mentioned was 1.21.

Last season, the Rockets performed well across the board, but one major flaw cost them dearly. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Rockets ranked just 22nd in half-court scoring efficiency—the lowest among all 16 playoff teams—and particularly struggled to score in one-on-one situations.

Genius IQ statistics show that, whether in the regular season or playoffs, the Rockets scored only 0.91 points per isolation possession; only the Jazz, Wizards, and Raptors had worse isolation efficiency than Houston.

None of the Rockets’ perimeter players were able to consistently create quality shots against set defenses. Of all players with at least 100 isolation attempts, both VanVleet and Amen Thompson ranked only above 15% of their peers in isolation efficiency, while Jalen Green outperformed just 12% of players—highlighting the team’s struggles in this area.

The arrival of Kevin Durant changes everything—not only is he a clear upgrade over Houston’s previous options, but last season he led the entire league in isolation scoring at 1.21 points per possession. Isolation inefficiency was a critical weakness for the Rockets, and bringing in Durant is expected to solve this problem. With Durant orchestrating the offense in clutch moments, the Rockets are poised to become a serious contender in the Western Conference.

In the 2024-25 season, the Rockets finished the regular season with a 52-30 record, placing second in the West. In the playoffs, they lost 3-4 to the Warriors in the first round. How far can the Durant-led Rockets go in the new season? Let’s wait and see.