Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant is set to make his return in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, after missing the opening game due to a knee injury sustained in practice last week.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka confirmed that Durant tested his knee during warmups and there will be no minutes restriction if he plays. Durant, who was listed as questionable last week, had gone through his routine at Crypto.com Arena less than two hours before Game 1 but was ultimately ruled out. The Rockets suffered a 107-98 loss in that game, falling behind 1-0 in the series against the Lakers, who are missing key players Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique).

Udoka mentioned that Durant underwent imaging which showed "nothing major" and that his absence in Game 1 was due to limited movement rather than pain tolerance.

• Udoka's comments:

I don't think it was a surprise to us. We knew he got banged up.

• The team had prepared for various lineups without him.

In his first season with Houston, Durant missed only four games during the regular season, with the Rockets going 4-0 in those contests. Heading into the playoffs, he averaged 26 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists since being traded from the Phoenix Suns last offseason.

During the 2025-26 campaign, Durant logged 2,840 minutes, the most in 12 years, finishing second in the NBA in minutes played, just behind teammate Amen Thompson. Only one of the games he missed this season was due to injury, while the others were for personal reasons or rest.