Kevin Durant won’t be with the Houston Rockets for Game 5.
The Rockets ruled Durant out for Wednesday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers due to his left ankle injury, which has kept him out for nearly all of the playoffs.
Durant missed Game 1 of the series with the Lakers due to a knee injury, though he returned for Game 2. He scored 20 points in the first half of that contest, but was then limited to just three points in the second half as the Lakers rallied to grab the win. Durant then missed the next two games with his left sprained ankle and bone bruise.
“I think the bone bruise is the worst part about it,” head coach Ime Udoka said before Game 4. “They did all the treatment and rehab and pushing the swelling out, but the pain from the bone bruise is the main thing and limited mobility.”
Durant has averaged 26 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season, his first with the Rockets. The 37-year-old was dealt to Houston last summer in a massive deal, and then signed a two-year, $90 million extension.
The Lakers, after jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the series, failed to complete the sweep on Sunday. The Rockets, thanks to 23 points from Amen Thompson led the entire second half in Game 4 to pick up a commanding 115-96 win to keep their series alive. But, of course, no team in NBA history has ever successfully rallied out of an 0-3 hole in the playoffs to win a series.
The Lakers have again left the door open for Austin Reaves to return. Reaves, who is recovering from a left oblique strain, is officially questionable as of Tuesday night. He is “optimistic” that he’ll be able to play in the contest after missing the Lakers’ last five regular season games and the first four so far in the playoffs.
If the Lakers can close it out on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, they’ll officially secure their first trip out of the opening round of the playoffs since 2023.
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