In a dramatic double-overtime season opener, Kevin Durant’s Houston Rockets debut ended in a heartbreaking 125-124 loss to the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder. The game, played on the night the Thunder received their championship rings, was decided in the final seconds, with the veteran star quickly pointing the finger at himself for the outcome.

Durant was direct in his post-game assessment, stating two specific plays cost his team the victory. He explained, “I missed the free throw (at the end of regulation) and I fouled Shai at the end (of double overtime) to put them up one.”

Beyond his self-criticism, Durant presented a view of shared responsibility for closing out games. He remarked, “The team closes the game out, you know? We close games out as a team. I’m not expected to make every big shot in every close game.” He added that his presence on the court should help ease tension for his teammates, allowing everyone to make plays when it matters most.

With 9.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter and a one-point lead, Durant missed the first of two free throws, leaving the door open for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to hit a tying jumper. The forward also committed a foul on Gilgeous-Alexander with 2.3 seconds left in the second overtime, which resulted in the game-winning free throws.

The 15-time All-Star emphasized the need for personal improvement in clutch moments, noting he must be more disciplined on defense. Despite the loss, Durant finished with 23 points and nine rebounds on 9-of-16 shooting.

This team-first perspective came on a night where his teammate, Alperen Şengün, delivered a spectacular performance. The center scored a game-high 39 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out seven assists, making a career-high five three-pointers. Durant praised Şengün’s incredible night, acknowledging the Rockets will need that level of contribution from him regularly.

However, reports also indicate that the opening night could’ve gone much worse for Durant. Let’s find out how.

Kevin Durant dodged a bullet

In a wild twist during the opener, Kevin Durant was moments away from a historic blunder that officials ultimately saved him from. The incident occurred in the final seconds of the first overtime against the Thunder, nearly overshadowing the whole game.

When the game was tied with seconds remaining, and Durant grabbed a defensive rebound off a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander miss, the veteran forward then clearly signaled for a timeout. The critical problem was that the Houston Rockets had no timeouts remaining. Calling one in this situation should have resulted in a technical foul, giving the Thunder a free throw to potentially win the game right there.

The play immediately drew comparisons to Chris Webber‘s famous mistake in the 1993 NCAA National Championship Game. Gilgeous-Alexander confirmed after the game that the signal was obvious, stating, “Kevin definitely called a timeout about three times verbally and physically with his hands.” However, the officiating crew led by Zach Zarba explained in a postgame report that none of the three referees saw Durant’s signal, which is why no technical was called.

This allowed the game to proceed to a second overtime period, saving Durant from an immensely embarrassing start to his Rockets tenure. The oversight by the officials gave Houston a second chance, though they ultimately lost by a single point following a different late-game foul by Durant.