Kevin Durant Says 'It's All Love' at Rockets Presser After Trending Video of Exchange With Reporter

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant tried to set a different tone inside the media room after an earlier back-and-forth with the Houston Chronicle's Varun Shankar made the rounds on social media.

Following Wednesday's 117-107 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Durant opened his press conference by saying it's "all love" and a "family atmosphere in here."

"We go back and forth. We can do that," he said. "Can we not? Make your minions online know that too. I got attacked; you got popular the last couple of days."

The vibes were a little different Monday night, when Shankar brought up Durant's relatively low shot count in a 109-93 win over the Boston Celtics. The 16-time All-Star took exception to the question given his team was victorious:

Whether he likes it or not, KD's usage is a subplot to the Rockets' start so far. His 12.4 field-goal attempts per game are the lowest of his career, and he hasn't averaged so few points (20.8) since his rookie season.

On its own, pointing those two facts out isn't a critique when Houston is second in offensive rating (120.0), per NBA.com. When he turned 38 in September and is into his 19th season, it makes sense for Durant to take more of a back seat, and the strategy is working.

Not all great players can successfully make the transition. Durant's ability to pull it off is further evidence of his status as a generational scorer.

Isolating a one-game sample can be deceptive, and nine games isn't statistically significant within the context of an entire season. Still, Durant's shot attempts is something worth talking about if the trend persists.