The Houston Rockets could have a disadvantage against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their first-round series. The team placed Kevin Durant on the injury report with a right knee contusion.
The 37-year-old has remained very healthy this season but reportedly suffered a significant injury this week in the lead-up to the playoff series. While Durant was a healthy scratch in the 132-101 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the season finale, it doesn’t look serious enough to rule him out. Thus, barring any unforeseen setback, he is expected to play. He is currently listed as questionable.
Kevin Durant’s injury history has been well-documented, but he has been as healthy as he’s been in the last three years. He played 78 games this season, only missing four games due to injury management and personal reasons.
Despite the injury scare, the Rockets are preparing for a challenging first-round matchup against the Lakers, who are also missing key stars in the form of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. A potential second-round series could see Houston face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, further raising the stakes for a healthy lineup.
The Rockets are still very much a team in transition, but having two-time Finals MVPs boosts their chances of a deep playoff run. Despite their youth and lack of playoff experience, the Rockets roster has shown that the future is very bright, and Kevin Durant elevates them as a leader on and off the court, and he is expected to play a key role in the postseason. This season, he averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists.
Kevin Durant stats vs LA Lakers
Kevin Durant has played the Lakers in 55 regular-season games and has a 29-26 winning record. He has averaged 27.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists in those games.
Durant has also faced the Lakers 11 times in the postseason and has won six of those matchups. He has averaged 25.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in the playoffs. This season, he played all the regular-season games against LA but went 1-2, averaging 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists.
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