yahoo - 4/19/2026 1:41:24 AM - GMT (+2 )
The Los Angeles Lakers won’t be the only team missing a star in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Houston Rockets.
Hours before the series was set to begin Saturday, the Rockets ruled out Kevin Durant with a knee contusion. He had previously been listed as questionable for the game, with ESPN reporting the Rockets to be optimistic the injury, sustained in practice, wouldn’t impact the series.
Durant was previously seen going through pregame warm-ups, which apparently didn’t go well enough for him to give it a shot.
Kevin Durant just came out and started going thru his pregame warmup.
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) April 18, 2026
He's listed as questionable for Game 1 tonight with a right knee contusion. pic.twitter.com/iRWFDwqhnC
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka told reporters, “Hopefully it’s a one-game thing.”
With Durant out, the Rockets rolled out a starting lineup of Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard and Josh Okogie against Los Angeles.
The development somewhat evens the odds for the Lakers, who still have leading scorers Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out indefinitely with injuries. However, they still face long odds even with Durant out for a game, with the Oklahoma City Thunder likely waiting in the Western Conference semifinals.
Durant is in his first season with the 52-30 Rockets after a trade from the Phoenix Suns last season and led the team in scoring with 26 points per game. He will now have to wait at least one more game to notch his first playoff win since 2023.
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