Kevin Durant will remain sidelined for Friday’s game of the Rockets‘ first-round series vs. the Lakers, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Thursday’s episode of Get Up (Twitter video link).
Durant has already missed four of five games in the first round. He was inactive for Game 1 due to a tendon bruise in his right knee, returned for Game 2, and has been out for the past three games as a result of a left ankle sprain and bone bruise.
“This bone bruise is a two-week minimum injury,” Charania said. “He’s just over one week right now.”
Despite the absence of their leading scorer, the Rockets have managed to hang around in the first round even after dropping the first three games of the series. They won Game 4 in Houston, then came away with a victory in Los Angeles on Wednesday to earn another home game on Friday.
With Durant joining veterans Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams on the injury report, Houston has been rolling with a starting lineup essentially made up entirely of the team’s young core, as Tari Eason joins Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Amen Thompson. That five-man group has a +16.7 net rating in 73 playoff minutes so far; no other Rockets lineup has played more than 24 minutes together in the postseason.
Charania’s assertion that Durant is likely facing a recovery period of at least two weeks suggests that the Rockets shouldn’t count on having him available for a potential Game 7, though it’s safe to assume the two-time Finals MVP will do all he can to try to make it back. The Lakers are also playing shorthanded, with their own top scorer, Luka Doncic, not expected to return from a hamstring strain before the end of the first round.
Durant coming back for a game 7 to complete a 3-0 comeback would be generational
But since he didnt play the series, not enough to raise his legacy, but enough to reduce LeBron’s
If anything, the fact that both of Houston’s victories were without him seems to reduce his importance to the team.
Yeah I dont think it adds to KD’s legacy but it would hinder LeBron’s for sure
Durant should stay sitting and let them play.
It’s obvious the Rockets play better without him. My guess is that he’s unlikely to play again this season (I’m still expecting the Lakers to get past the Rockets).
Out due to Vegas
Battle to see who OKC flops over in the next round.
KD need to watch some old Willis Reed video.
If Rockets win a game 7, they might as well waive Durant. He’s definitely rooting for the Lakers.
Injuries man —— all this comes back to Rockets not getting a PG. Forces KD to handle ball more. And be a playmaker. Never understand why you waste a KD year. JVV contract is up anyway.
JVV? Who’s that ? I think you mean FVV. As I pointed out months ago to you he holds a player option for 25million next year he’s not going anywhere. KD needs to learn to get a backbone. He’s a great player whose legacy is running to the team he couldn’t beat to get a ring. Rockets really need to find a way to move on from him and Udoka
What does a PO do. Learn why Rockets are in this position. And have wasted yr 1 of KD. You need a calculator for this.
A player option means he can pick up the option to stay with the team another year at the rate of 25 million. Seeing as how he’s on the decline it would be hard to get that as a free agent so he picks up the option.
Rockets are in this position because Udoka failed all season to install any offensive game plan. Its been simply give Durant the ball since Steven Adams went down and they couldn’t run the 2 big lineup
So who cares. He can pick it up in Portland if he wants. It’s an expiring contract. Means can easily be maded. Nobody runs a two big offense. And the whole point is KD shouldn’t be handling the ball this much. You must be new to this. Do you inow KDs age.
Right I’m new to this yet you’re the guy celebrating the Knicks getting to the second round of the playoffs like they just won the championship.
Right trade FVV to Portland for what? So now you’re running the Amen/Sheppard PG experience again?
For someone who loves to tell everyone “they don’t know ball” you sure like to suggest nba2k like moves.
I take one game one series at a time. If you knew what I tell. You would know that. Not the smack I have for the haters. You need an update lol. You are late to all this. Like your knowledge outdated. Only one thing in sports gets celebrated. And you need to understand the game for that.
I don’t play vudeo gms. I prefer the real thing. You can talk nonsense about what I tell. Yet you don’t know what I told about Rockets many times. Only one player in Portland they should have gotten. A d has nothing to do with an experiment.
The reason you don’t get me. Is cause I talk ball.
You talk ball? Haven’t you been spouting off for years now about how good the Knicks are. 1973 is pretty far in the past…
Really that’s what I been spouting. Like I said you need an update.
I am the most reasonable Knick fan you will ever know. All I have ever done is try and build a team. You lost non. A team we didn’t have till Thibs got here. Go get some knowledge. So you can understand real baller talk. Stop sticking your nose in where it don’t belong.