The Lakers enter the playoffs with perhaps more injury concerns than any other team as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves remain sidelined, but their first-round opponent isn’t without its own issues.
Rockets star Kevin Durant suffered a knee contusion in practice in the week leading up to the playoffs and was listed as questionable to play in Game 1 of Houston’s series against the Lakers.
With Doncic out, the series has been branded as one more battle between Durant and LeBron James, who will be forced to shoulder more responsibility if he wants his age-41 season to continue. Durant, meanwhile, is coming off his healthiest season in seven years in terms of games played, as he missed only four games in his age-37 campaign.
Here’s what you need to know about Durant’s injury status for Game 1 against the Lakers.
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Is Kevin Durant playing vs. Lakers?
The Rockets listed Durant as questionable to play in Game 1 with a knee contusion. While the star “tried to go a few times” during pregame warmups, he was ruled out, per Shams Charania.
The news came as a surprise on Friday, with ESPN reporting the injury occurred during practice after the end of the regular season. Durant is now considered day-to-day moving forward.
Durant has a lengthy record of injuries in recent years but managed to stay on the court in his first season with the Rockets, averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game across 78 contests. Houston earned the No. 5 seed in the West despite losing PG Fred VanVleet to an ACL tear before the start of the season.
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Is Kevin Durant hurt?
Durant is dealing with a knee contusion, according to ESPN. The injury occurred in practice ahead of the playoffs, but the Rockets are reportedly “optimistic” it won’t severely hinder him in the opening round.
Friday’s injury designation was the first indication that Durant was dealing with an injury that might put his availability at risk, and he wasn’t ruled out until a few hours before tip on Saturday.
Assuming Durant plays in the series, he will face LeBron James in the playoffs for the first time since the 2018 NBA Finals, when the Warriors swept James and the Cavaliers. Durant has met James in the NBA Finals three times, losing with the Thunder in 2012 but winning Finals MVP honors after the Warriors rolled to wins in 2017 and 2018.
Lakers-Rockets series schedule
The Lakers will host the Rockets in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday night. Here’s a complete look at the series schedule:
| April 18 | Game 1: Rockets at Lakers | 8:30 p.m. | ABC |
| April 21 | Game 2: Rockets at Lakers | 7:30 p.m. | NBC |
| April 24 | Game 3: Lakers at Rockets | 5 p.m. | Prime Video |
| April 26 | Game 4: Lakers at Rockets | 6:30 p.m. | NBC |
| April 29 | Game 5: Rockets at Lakers* | TBA | TBA |
| May 1 | Game 6: Lakers at Rockets* | TBA | TBA |
| May 3 | Game 7: Rockets at Lakers* | TBA | TBA |