Kevin Durant Cleared To Play Game 2
Kevin Durant will play in Game 2 of the Rockets’ series against the Lakers on Tuesday night, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
Houston’s star forward missed Game 1 due to a knee tendon bruise after suffering the injury in practice last week. Rockets coach Ime Udoka said during his pregame press conference that Durant, who tested out the knee during pregame warmups, wouldn’t be on a minutes restriction if he plays.
“The pain tolerance is one thing, but actually moving and feeling comfortable doing all the movements is going to be the biggest thing,” Udoka said after the team’s practice this week.
The Lakers, who are operating without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, collected a 107-98 Game 1 victory as the Rockets struggled offensively without Durant. The 16-time All-Star averaged 26.0 points per game this season in 78 outings this season and has averaged 29.3 PPG in 170 career playoff contests.
He’ll match up against LeBron James for the first time since the 2018 NBA Finals, when Durant played for Golden State and James led Cleveland.
Latest On Lakers’ Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic
Austin Reaves (left oblique strain) will remain on the inactive list for Game 2 of the Lakers‘ first-round series against Houston on Tuesday night, but there’s still a chance that he’ll be able to suit up later in the series, ESPN’s Shams Charania said during an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link).
“The sense around the Lakers is that Austin Reaves is actually the one that’s further along than Luka Doncic in their respective rehab processes,” Charania said. “I am told Austin Reaves has started one-on-one on-court work. The next step for him is to continue to go through the progressions of three-on-three, five-on-five.
“Remember, early April, he had a four-to-six week timetable. So theoretically that puts him on track (to return) late in this series (or) potentially early in the next series.”
The prognosis isn’t quite as positive for Doncic, who is dealing with a left hamstring strain. According to Charania, the Lakers aren’t expecting the perennial MVP candidate to return to action during the first round.
A recovery timeline for Doncic was never specified, but he has dealt with some left hamstring issues in the past and suffered a Grade 2 strain this time around, so the Lakers will be careful not to rush him back before he’s ready. His injury typically requires a recovery period of at least four weeks — and sometimes more than that.
The Lakers’ ability to extend or win the series without their two star guards is an open question, but the team took care of business at home in Game 1 on Saturday, registering a 107-98 win as Luke Kennard led the way with a team-high 27 points.
LeBron James (13 assists) and Marcus Smart (eight assists) took on additional play-making duties in Game 1 for the Lakers, who benefited from the fact that Kevin Durant was sidelined with an injury of his own. Durant is listed as questionable to play in Game 2 on Tuesday and doesn’t seem likely to be at 100% if he suits up.
Lakers Notes: Doncic, Kennard, Game 2, Hayes
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves remain out for the Lakers‘ Game 2 matchup against the Rockets on Tuesday, The Athletic’s Dan Woike notes (via Twitter). This was expected as the star backcourt continues to work its way back from a left hamstring strain and left oblique muscle strain, respectively.
While Doncic hasn’t been able to suit up in the playoffs, he has been a valuable presence on the bench, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
“I think people don’t know how much impact Luka has, not only on the court, but off the court,” teammate Rui Hachimura said. “He’s a guy that always wants to be around. … We love him just being around, just hanging out, talking. So, yeah, we’re happy that he’s back finally and he’s doing funny things always. … We missed him for sure.”
Turner writes that Doncic was active on the sideline during Game 1, providing both feedback and encouragement to his teammates. He remains without a firm timeline for return.
We have more from the Lakers:
- Lakers’ coach JJ Redick has loved what he’s seen from Luke Kennard, the hero of Game 1. One of his challenges for the elite shooter was sacrificing some efficiency for volume, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin notes (Twitter video link). “One of the things messaging-wise was, ‘You shooting six or seven threes a game at 38% for the series is better than you shooting three a game at 45%,‘” Redick said. “It’s unlikely he’ll go five-for-five every game, but I loved his level of aggression.” Teammate Jaxson Hayes says Kennard’s outburst came as no surprise. “I used to grow up watching him drop 40, 50 a game in high school,” Hayes said, per McMenamin (Twitter video link). “I’ve known he’s been able to do all that. I watched him do it.”
- Redick knows the Rockets will come out with desperation in Game 2 and is determined to have his Lakers match the energy they played with in Game 1, Benjamin Royer writes for the Orange County Register. “Every day requires something different,” he said. “Yesterday required an elevated recovery day. Today required an elevated focus. It was a longer film session. A decent amount of teach, talk on the court beyond just the practice session. Tomorrow is going to require an elevated sense of desperation on our part because they’re going to come in with that.”
- Hayes has been granted a Slovenian passport, per Michael J. Duarte of The California Post (Twitter video link), allowing him to play with Doncic during international play as the Slovenian team’s designated naturalized player. Hayes says that Doncic has been calling him “my Slovenian brother” since the paperwork came through.
2026 NBA Draft Tiebreaker Results
Tiebreakers among teams with identical regular-season records were broken on Monday through random drawings to determine the order for this year’s draft prior to the lottery.
The NBA has posted a video of the tiebreaking procedure (Twitter link). The results are as follows, according to a press release from the league (Twitter link):
- Utah Jazz (No. 4) over Sacramento Kings (No. 5)
- The Jazz’s pick will land in the top eight, meaning their obligation to the Thunder will be extinguished.
- New Orleans Pelicans (No. 7) over Dallas Mavericks (No. 8)
- The Pelicans will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Mavericks.
- The Pelicans’ pick will be sent to the Hawks (if it’s more favorable than Milwaukee’s) or Bucks (if it’s not).
- Phoenix Suns (No. 16) over Philadelphia 76ers (No. 17) over Orlando Magic (No. 18)
- The Suns’ pick will be sent to the Grizzlies.
- The Sixers’ pick will be sent to the Thunder.
- The Magic’s pick will be sent to the Hornets.
- Toronto Raptors (No. 19) over Atlanta Hawks (No. 20)
- The Hawks’ pick will be sent to the Spurs.
- Houston Rockets (No. 22) over Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 23)
- The Rockets’ pick will be sent to the Sixers.
- The Cavaliers’ pick will be sent to the Hawks.
- New York Knicks (No. 24) over Los Angeles Lakers (No. 25)
While the tiebreaker winner will pick ahead of the loser(s) in the first round, that order will be flipped in the second round.
For instance, the Magic’s second-round pick will be at No. 46, followed by the Sixers’ pick (traded to Phoenix) at No. 47, and the Suns’ second-rounder (traded to the Mavericks) at No. 48 — that’s the opposite of their order in the first round.
For lottery teams that finished with identical records, the second-round order is still to be determined depending on the lottery results.
For example, if the Jazz’s first-round pick stays at No. 4 and the Kings’ first-rounder stays at No. 5, Sacramento’s second-round pick would be at No. 34 and Utah’s (traded to San Antonio) would be at No. 35. But if the Kings win the No. 1 overall pick on lottery night, moving ahead of Utah in the first round, then the Jazz’s second-round pick (to San Antonio) would be No. 34, while Sacramento would move down to No. 35.
We’ll publish the full lottery odds and pre-lottery draft order for 2026 later today.
Kerr’s Decision Could Lead To Major Changes For Warriors
The Warriors could be embarking on an “organizational reset” if head coach Steve Kerr decides not to return, several team sources tell Ramona Shelburne and Anthony Slater of ESPN. That could involve significant changes to the roster and coaching staff as the team tries to find a new direction following a 37-45 season and an exit in the play-in tournament.
After Friday’s loss at Phoenix, Kerr indicated that he’ll take a week or two before deciding whether to continue coaching. Team sources tell Shelburne that timeline is respectful to Kerr while giving the organization enough time to address its coaching situation before moving on to roster decisions. The sources also state that staff and philosophy questions will be discussed if Kerr returns, as management believes the team has become too reliant on three-point variance and wants to see more diversification in the offense and a greater emphasis on winning the possession battle.
There are lingering concerns about the 13-15 start when the roster was mostly healthy, Shelburne adds. Late-game performance, turnover problems and a sub-.500 record during a season when so many opponents were tanking were also worrisome.
“We didn’t find it earlier in the season,” Kerr said after the team was eliminated. “We were blowing some games we should’ve closed out. I could’ve done a better job. But when Jimmy (Butler) got hurt, it felt like we were finding it.”
Sources tell Shelburne that a wide search is expected for Kerr’s successor if he opts for retirement. College coaches could be in the mix, although Shelburne cites concerns about pairing someone who has no NBA experience with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Butler as they move into the final stages of their careers.
Changes to the coaching staff are expected even if Kerr stays, per Shelburne. Long-time assistant Chris DeMarco has already left to become head coach of the WNBA’s New York Liberty, and sources tell Shelburne that former Pelicans head coach Willie Green could return to the Warriors to work under Kerr again.
When Kerr discusses his future with management, owner Joe Lacob will want him to exhibit a strong desire to handle the day-to-day responsibilities of the job rather than stay out of loyalty to Curry and Green, according to Shelburne’s sources. They add that Lacob will ask Kerr to sign a multiyear contract instead of returning for a brief farewell tour.
According to Shelburne, the Warriors remain committed to general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., despite some outside rumors that he may be a candidate to run Chicago’s front office. She reports that Dunleavy recently signed an extension without any fanfare and has multiple years remaining on the deal.
Shelburne also notes that if Golden State’s roster remains largely intact next season, there will still be the issue of having three players in their late 30s who take up nearly 80% of the payroll. Curry will be eligible for an extension of up to two years this summer and has already talked about wanting to keep playing for multiple seasons. Butler will become extension-eligible in February, which is about when he’s projected to return from an ACL tear. Shelburne hears that he’s expected to focus on getting healthy again and work out his future next summer.
Green has a $27.6MM player option for next season that he’s expected to either exercise or use as the basis to negotiate a longer deal. He was reportedly included in the Warriors’ offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo at the deadline and while there’s a still a chance he could be moved for a star, sources tell Shelburne there is “no desire or mandate” to trade Green.
Shelburne suggests that Golden State could make another offer to the Bucks this summer or try again for Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who became a target in February after the Antetokounmpo deal fell through. She adds that LeBron James could also be a possibility in free agency if he decides to leave the Lakers.
Lakers Notes: Kennard, James, Bronny, Game 1
Luke Kennard was brought to the Lakers to be a shooting specialist, but in Game 1 of Los Angeles’ series against the Rockets, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined, he stepped up as the hero of the game, Benjamin Royer writes for the Southern California News Group.
Kennard scored 27 points, his career playoff high, while hitting all five of his three-pointers, including the dagger that put the game away. His previous postseason high was 21 points, which he recorded in the 2019 playoffs.
“It’s one of the greatest feelings for sure, to have that — to know they’re (cheering) for you and your team, and you know you did something special to help this team win,” Kennard said.
Kennard added that the play-making role he has taken on with Doncic and Reaves out isn’t entirely unprecedented for him, noting that he occasionally took on similar responsibilities earlier in his career.
“I’ve been in situations like this, maybe not at this level, but I have played in the playoffs where I’ve been a play-maker, and had the ball in my hands once, but it was a long time ago,” he said. “And I think now, everything kind of leading up to now – I’ve been prepared for moments like this, and I’m going to, you know, hopefully take advantage of it and and try to help as much as I can to lift everybody up.”
We have more from the Lakers:
- With L.A.’s two offensive engines sidelined, LeBron James opened Game 1 by handing out eight assists in the first quarter, the most he has registered in any playoff quarter during his 23-year career, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin writes. James finished the game with 19 points, 13 assists, and 8 rebounds. “I got to do a little bit of everything,” said James. “It’s what the job requires. So being a triple threat, being able to rebound, being able to pass, being able to shoot and also defend and put myself in position where I can bring value to this ball club, bring value to this team throughout this series.”
- Bronny James played just four minutes in the nine-point victory and didn’t record a positive stat, but his presence was still historic, making him and LeBron the first father-son duo to play together in a playoff game, Law Murray writes for The Athletic. Bronny wasn’t a rotation regular for most of the season, but with a thin backcourt, head coach JJ Redick turned to him briefly for his energy and defense.
- There were two things Redick said the Lakers needed to do against the Rockets: not turn the ball over and rebound. They did neither of those things in Game 1, committing 20 turnovers and giving up 21 offensive rebounds, but still came away with the victory, The Athletic’s Dan Woike writes. Instead, they relied on keeping their composure and letting their lone star, James, organize the offense.
Knee Injury To Sideline Kevin Durant For Game 1
Rockets star Kevin Durant will miss Saturday night’s series opener against the Lakers due to a right knee contusion, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). “Hopefully it’s a one-game thing,” coach Ime Udoka told reporters.
Durant was injured on Wednesday when he bumped knees with a teammate during practice, relays Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link). Udoka said Durant underwent testing on the knee and is just dealing with soreness, adds Don Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Houston was 4-0 with0ut Durant this season, defeating Phoenix and Golden State in November, Indiana in February and Memphis in the season finale, notes Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).
It’s still a huge loss for Houston heading into what appeared to be a favorable matchup against an L.A. team that has Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined with injuries. With Durant unavailable, Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun will make up the Rockets’ starting lineup.
“It’s soreness. It’s very tender. It’s tough to bend in certain ways,” Udoka said, per Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). “Not a lot of swelling. He hit it in a very awkward spot, I guess, more than anything. It could’ve been a regular bumped knee and he would’ve played through that. But it was right above the knee, the patellar tendon area.”
Durant has been the focus of the offense in his first season with Houston after being acquired from Phoenix last summer. At age 37, he appeared in 78 games and averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists while playing 2,840 minutes, the second-highest total in the league. He continued his typical stellar shooting by connecting at 52% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range.
The Rockets tend to rely heavily on Durant, particularly late in possessions. The team was a +88 with him on the court, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
Game 2 of the series is Tuesday and Game 3 won’t take place until Friday, so the schedule will provide a chance for Durant’s contusion to heal.
Lakers Notes: Smart, LeBron, Bronny, Schedule, Ayton
The Lakers are big underdogs in their series against the Rockets due to the injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. At least initially, that could work to the Lakers’ advantage, according to guard Marcus Smart.
“It’s going to take everybody,” Smart said, per Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. “With that, it’s a different style of play, and I don’t think it’s something that Houston has prepared for. To be fair, they haven’t seen us without those guys. When they’re playing us, they’ve always played us with them. They’ve always had a matchup and game plan for them, and it’ll be interesting to see how they play us without them.”
In any case, Smart says his team will put up a fight, regardless of playing shorthanded.
“We’re competitors,” he said. “They’re going to try to come in and punk us, and if you will allow that, you will be punked. I don’t think we have any guys that are going to be punked on this team. We might not be the most athletic and the strongest, but we’ve got to have the most heart.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- LeBron James and son Bronny James will share the floor at times during the series. Bronny has carved out a rotation role due to the backcourt injuries. “Me being on the floor with him, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career, above everything that I’ve accomplished,” LeBron said to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “So, the fact that he’s put himself in a position to get his number called for a postseason game is pretty remarkable and pretty cool given the circumstances that he’s been given the last couple years. He earned it, he deserves it, and he’ll be ready.”
- If the Lakers can make it a series, they could get Doncic and/or Reaves back at some point. The playoff schedule works in the Lakers’ favor, with two days off between multiple games, Dan Woike of The Athletic tweets — despite starting on Saturday, the series could stretch to May 3, the latest possible Game 7 date. “The mindset for our team and for those two guys, like we’re gonna try to make this season as long as possible so that we can get those guys back at some point,” coach JJ Redick said. “We don’t know what that is, and that’s just our job. And their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work, but that’s what we’re trying to do.”
- Deandre Ayton will be making his first playoff appearance since 2023. The Lakers big man knows he’ll have to ramp up his production. “I can play hard on offense. I can play hard on defense,” he said, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “So, that’s just really my goal — running the floor always and closing out possessions with rebounds and protecting the rim. So, just trying to enhance everything I can coming into the playoffs.” Redick says the team can play at an elite level when Ayton is productive. “The whole season for him has been about finding consistency,” he said. “When he’s at his best, we’re an elite basketball team. That’s just the reality. He raises our ceiling so much — and it’s on both sides of the ball.”
Latest On LeBron James’ Future
LeBron James has yet to make any decisions about his future beyond this season, league and team sources tell Dan Woike and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
According to Woike and Amick, a number of options remain in play for the Laker star, including the possibility of retiring this summer. The idea that James wouldn’t call it a career without embarking on a season-long farewell tour isn’t accurate, sources tell Woike and Amick, who say that several of those sources have heard as much from LeBron himself.
Still, after having his season debut delayed due to a bout with sciatica, the 41-year-old has continued to play at a high level in his 23rd NBA season, averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in 33.2 minutes per game while shooting 51.5% from the floor. There are no indications that his production is about to fall off a cliff, so it’s safe to assume that if he wants to keep playing, many teams will be interested in employing him.
That list starts with the Lakers, despite the fact that the club didn’t offer James a multiyear deal before he decided to exercise his player option last June. There had been speculation since that opt-in decision that this would be LeBron’s last year with the team, but Los Angeles’ hot streak during the second half of the season may have changed the equation, per Woike and Amick.
Before Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves went down with injuries at the start of April, the Lakers closed out March by winning 13 of 14 games, with their only loss during that stretch coming in Detroit in a tight 113-110 contest. One executive told The Athletic that the Lakers’ performance during that time was “real,” and James agreed. Another league source told Woike and Amick that the team’s high-level play made LeBron more inclined to believe the Lakers are capable of contending for another title, assuming they’re healthy and they perhaps make another roster upgrade or two this summer.
The organization has long expressed a desire to have James retire as a Laker, and team and league sources tell The Athletic that the idea of re-signing the four-time MVP to a new contract this offseason remains very much in play from the club’s perspective. But the Lakers figure to have competition.
The Cavaliers and Warriors have frequently been cited as potential suitors for James if he decides to leave Los Angeles, and both clubs remain “plausible” landing spots for the star forward, according to Woike and Amick, who describe Golden State’s interest as “serious.” However, neither team is currently positioned to offer LeBron more than mid-level money, and it’s unclear if the Lakers would be willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade, so James may have to be willing to play at a discount if he wants to join either team.
Family considerations will also be a significant factor in James’ decision, with one executive from a possible suitor acknowledging that the veteran’s reluctance to leave Los Angeles is something that other teams are well aware of. Given that context, it’s possible that the Clippers could enter the conversation, league sources tell The Athletic.
While James has a history with Tyronn Lue and would be able to remain in L.A. in that scenario, it’s viewed as a longer shot, Woike and Amick admit. The sense among The Athletic’s sources is that if James were to change teams, he would only join a team that he believes would be a legitimate championship threat. It’s unclear if the Clippers, who were eliminated in the play-in tournament this week, would fit that bill after trading away James Harden and Ivica Zubac in February.
Details On NBA’s Playoff Bonus Money For 2025/26
The pool of bonus money for NBA playoff teams this season is worth approximately $36MM, according to Kurt Badenhausen and Lev Akabas of Sportico.
The top six teams in each conference earn bonuses based on their regular season records, while the 16 playoff teams also receive a chunk of money from the playoff pool, increasing the value of their payout with each series win. That bonus money is divvied up among the players on each club’s 15-man roster.
Teams eliminated in the play-in tournament aren’t entitled to any of the playoff bonus money, even if they had the seventh- or eighth-best regular season record in their conference.
The breakdown for 2026’s playoff pool money is as follows (rounded to the nearest thousand), per Sportico:
Regular season achievements:
- Best record in NBA (Thunder): $896K
- No. 1 seeds in each conference (Pistons, Thunder): $784K per team
- No. 2 seeds (Celtics, Spurs): $628K per team
- No. 3 seeds (Knicks, Nuggets): $471K per team
- No. 4 seeds (Cavaliers, Lakers): $384K per team
- No. 5 seeds (Raptors, Rockets): $297K per team
- No. 6 seeds (Hawks, Timberwolves): $210K per team
Postseason achievements:
- Teams participating in first round (all 16 playoff teams — the 12 listed above, plus the Sixers, Trail Blazers, and Friday’s play-in winners): $481K per team
- Teams participating in conference semifinals (eight teams): $586K per team
- Teams participating in conference finals (four teams): $980K per team
- Losing team in NBA Finals: $3,921,000
- Winning team in NBA Finals: $9,078,000
A team that makes a deep playoff run will cash in on more than one of the bonuses listed above.
For example, if the Thunder win the championship, their payout from the playoff pool would be worth more than $12.8MM in total — that amount would include their bonuses for posting the NBA’s best record, claiming the West’s No. 1 seed, making the first round, making the conference semifinals, making the conference finals, and winning the NBA Finals.
The total amount of the playoff bonus pool, which is based on a formula connected to basketball-related income (BRI), is up 3% from last season, according to Badenhausen and Akabas.