Kevin Durant's Knee Injury Sidelines Him for Game 1 Against Lakers
LOS ANGELES -- The Houston Rockets announced that star forward Kevin Durant will miss Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday due to a knee injury. The decision came less than two hours before the game, as Durant was ruled out with a right knee contusion after going through pre-game warmups at Crypto.com Arena. Rockets coach Ime Udoka revealed that Durant bumped his knee during practice on Wednesday, expressing hope that his absence would be a "one-game thing." Udoka confirmed that imaging showed "nothing major" regarding the injury. Initially, the Rockets opened as 5.5-point favorites against the Lakers. However, with both teams facing player absences, the line has since adjusted to 2.5 points. In his first season with Houston, Durant has been a consistent performer, missing just four games during the regular season. Notably, the Rockets have maintained a perfect 4-0 record without him in the lineup. As Durant prepares for his postseason debut with Houston, he enters the playoffs averaging 26 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists since his trade from the Phoenix Suns last offseason. This playoff series marks a significant moment, as it could be one of the last encounters between Durant and LeBron James. The Rockets will face the Lakers again in Game 2 on Tuesday in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the Lakers are also dealing with injuries, missing Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), both ruled out without a clear timeline for their return.
Source: CBS Sports - 2026-04-18