The Houston Rockets will face another must-win situation without their marquee player, as the team confirmed Tuesday evening that Kevin Durant will be sidelined for Wednesday’s Game 5 matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.
This marks Durant’s fourth absence in the five-game first-round playoff series so far.
The veteran All-Star, who has been selected to 16 All-Star teams, was initially held out of Game 1 due to a right knee contusion. He then missed both Games 3 and 4 after suffering a left ankle sprain and bone bruise that failed to improve sufficiently for team medical staff to approve his return for Wednesday’s contest.
Durant’s only action in the series came during Game 2, where he contributed 23 points but struggled with ball security, committing nine turnovers in a losing effort.
The Lakers have capitalized on Durant’s limited availability, establishing a commanding 3-1 series lead. However, Los Angeles has also battled significant injury concerns, as their top two offensive weapons, Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), have yet to take the court in this series. Reaves may return for Wednesday’s game.
After falling behind 3-0 in the series, Houston staved off elimination with a dominant 115-96 win on Sunday.
Durant, now 37 years old, is playing in his 18th NBA campaign. The accomplished forward earned MVP honors in the 2013-14 season, captured four scoring titles, and earned All-NBA recognition 11 times while winning two championship rings. This marks his inaugural season wearing a Rockets uniform.
