Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant will miss Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers due to a right knee injury sustained in practice, head coach Ime Udoka announced Saturday.
Durant, 37, injured his knee during a collision with a teammate on Wednesday and was added to the injury report Friday. Medical imaging showed no structural damage, but Udoka described the area above the patellar tendon as “very tender” and tricky to bend in certain ways, ruling him out for the opening game.
The Lakers will also be without their two leading scorers, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who remain sidelined with lower-body injuries. Doncic, recovering from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, returned to Los Angeles on Friday after receiving treatment in Europe. Reaves is out with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, both injuries dating to April 2.
Durant’s absence removes the Rockets’ leading scorer, who averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season in his first year with Houston after a trade from Phoenix. His scoring average ranks him among the NBA’s elite, and he brings 14 seasons of playoff experience to a series that would have marked his fourth postseason meeting with LeBron James.
With Durant out, Udoka confirmed the starting lineup will feature Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Josh Okogie. Sheppard, who had been listed as questionable, steps into the starting five in Durant’s place.
The Rockets closed the regular season with a nine-win stretch in their final ten games to clinch the fifth seed, while the Lakers finished as the fourth seed despite missing Doncic and Reaves for stretches. Houston posted a +88 plus/minus rating in non-Durant minutes over approximately 1,200 possessions, indicating the team remains competitive without its star.
Udoka expressed optimism the injury is short-term, telling reporters he hopes it is a “one-game thing,” though he acknowledged Durant tried to test the knee and found it insufficient for play. The timing of the injury — on the eve of the playoffs — adds strain to Durant’s heavy usage, as he logged 2,840 minutes this season, his highest since 2014.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said the team aims to extend the series to create a window for Doncic and Reaves to return, acknowledging the uncertainty but emphasizing the staff’s commitment to preparing for their potential comeback.
The winner of the series will likely face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals, a team that has positioned itself as a top contender despite the absence of several key players from both Houston and Los Angeles.
How serious is Durant’s knee injury?
Medical imaging revealed no structural damage, but the injury involves tenderness and limited mobility above the patellar tendon, which Udoka said prevents Durant from playing despite his pain tolerance.
Who starts in Durant’s place for Game 1?
Reed Sheppard will start alongside Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Josh Okogie in the Rockets’ opening lineup.
