Kevin Durant 18 points on 8-of-16 vs Lakers (Mar 16, 2026)
18 PTS · 8-of-16 FG · 0-of-3 3P · 2-of-2 FT · 37:18 MIN
Usual before this game: 26.0 PTS · 17.8 FGA · 36.3 MIN, from 63 regular-season games
3rd-lowest Game Score of 64 games this season: 5.5 against a usual 19.5 (-14.0)
below usual
No more than 3 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far below their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far below the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did Kevin Durant score 18 points?
Kevin Durant scored 18 points against the Lakers on Mar 16, 2026 in 37:18: 8-of-16 from the field (50.0%), 0-of-3 from three, 2-of-2 on free throws. Coming in, Durant had averaged 26.0 points on 17.8 shots in 36.3 minutes, from 63 regular-season games. This game had the 3rd-lowest Game Score of 64 games this season. Durant shot 50.0% from the field, against a usual 51.5%. From threes, 0 points against a usual 7.0; from free throws, 2 points against a usual 5.3; from two-pointers, 16 points against a usual 13.7. Playing time was 37:18, against a usual 36.3 minutes; per 36 minutes, the Game Score was 5.3, against a usual 19.3. Durant had 7 turnovers and 1 foul, against a usual 3.2 and 1.9. The Rockets lost 100-92 at home against the Lakers. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Durant in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (63 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 37:18 | 36.3 | +1.0 |
| Points | 18 | 26.0 | -8.0 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 16 · 50.0% | 17.8 · 51.5% | -1.8 · -1.5 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 0-of-3 | 5.7 · 40.6% | -2.7 |
| FTA · FT% | 2-of-2 | 6.0 · 88.6% | -4.0 |
| Rebounds | 5 | 5.5 | -0.5 |
| Assists | 2 | 4.5 | -2.5 |
| Turnovers | 7 | 3.2 | +3.8 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 63 games | 28.6 | 27.6 | +1.0 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 5.3 | 19.3 | -14.0 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (63 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 0 (0-of-3) | 7.0 (2.3-of-5.7) | -7.0 |
| Twos | 16 (8-of-13) | 13.7 (6.9-of-12.1) | +2.3 |
| Free throws | 2 (2-of-2) | 5.3 (5.3-of-6.0) | -3.3 |
| Total | 18 | 26.0 | -8.0 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
5.5 against a usual 19.5 (-14.0)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | -6.9 |
| Rebounds | -0.4 |
| Assists | -1.7 |
| Steals and blocks | -1.5 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -3.5 |
| Total | -14.0 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
3rd-lowest Game Score of 64 games this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Rockets lost 100-92 at home against the Lakers.
- Previous appearance: Mar 13, 2026, 3 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Lakers this season: 25 points (Dec 25, 2025).
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.