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Kevin Durant logged just over 47 of a possible 58 minutes against the Thunder.

That is not ideal for a 37-year-old who has averaged nearly 37 minutes per game over the past four seasons. Especially when it comes against this Oklahoma City defense, which is a special brand of generational hell.

Houston can't blame the overtimes, either. Durant tallied over 20 minutes in the first half and was flirting with the 40-minute benchmark in regulation.

He may love to hoop, but yuh-eesh.

Complicated still, his offense didn't come super easily. The Rockets weren't sending him nearly enough ball screens when he had possession down the stretch. And when he didn't have the ball, he too often assumed the role of spectator.

Finding a balance will be paramount. The problem is, striking happy mediums is a lot tougher without a tried-and-true floor general to help delineate touches. More two-man actions between KD and Şengün should be considered mandatory.

Most of all, Houston must find a way to better manage his...