Kevin Durant heaped praise on the Oklahoma City Thunder defense after their dominant win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.
The Thunder, coached by Mark Daigneault, have built a reputation as one of the NBA’s toughest defensive teams, leaning on physical play, consistent effort and disciplined rotations.
Oklahoma City earned its fifth straight win with another performance that limited the scoring and disrupted the offensive rhythm throughout the game.
Durant said Oklahoma City’s approach mirrors what successful teams do and pushes back against criticism that the Thunder are crossing the line with their physicality.
“They definitely play with physicality, but that’s what championship organizations do. I don’t think they toe the line or anything,” Durant said.
“I just think they just play swarm basketball; they all rush to the ball. They play physical without the ball. They have great hands. They have a good shot blocking center. I don’t think they do too much, anything extra. I just think they play together and know how to swarm basketball.”
The comments come amid online debates from fans and analysts who claim Oklahoma City is benefiting from excessive contact.
However, league data does not support claims that the Thunder are receiving special treatment or playing outside of NBA norms.
Durant, a former Thunder star and one of the league’s most talented scorers, did not blame the officials or circumstances for the loss.
Instead, he praised Oklahoma City’s defensive unit and effort.
