Kevin Durant likes 'pissed off' Rockets' reaction to 0-2 start - ESPN

HOUSTON — Star forward Kevin Durant said Houston Rockets players and coaches are «pissed off» as they fell to 0-2 with a 115-111 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

But Durant also views that early-season frustration as a good thing.

«Coaching staff is pissed off, players are pissed off,» he said. «We want a better outcome, and it's early, too. So for us to feel that way I like that kind of energy.»

Durant dropped 37 points on 9-of-18 shooting, while going 16 of 18 from the free throw line. But that outburst in his Houston home opener, which saw Rockets legends Yao Ming and Hakeem Olajuwon sitting courtside, wasn't enough to give his new team its first win.

Like their season-opening 125-124 double-overtime loss to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the Rockets' loss to the Pistons came down to the wire.

But players refuse to accept moral victories, not with Durant now on a team that was the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference last season and entered this one with the fifth-best odds to win the NBA title at 14-1, according to ESPN BET.

«Just feel like we haven't played a good game yet,» guard Amen Thompson said. «It's been two close games. We can't keep saying that all the time. We want to play great games. We have championship-level expectations. So just trying to play our best game every game. Bad games happen, but we are still trying to win those.»

The game was tight late in the fourth quarter as Durant dribbled up the court with less than 30 seconds remaining. Every Rockets fan rose anticipating a bucket to tie or take the lead as Houston trailed 113-111.

Durant quickly doubled off a pick and roll and passed it to Alperen Şengun, whose shot was blocked by Pistons forward Paul Reed with 16 seconds