After missing only one game due to injury in the NBA’s entire 2025-26 regular season, Kevin Durant sat out Houston’s opener of the 2026 Western Conference playoffs with a right knee contusion.
Durant suffered the injury a few days ago when he bumped knees with a teammate in practice, head coach Ime Udoka said prior to Saturday’s Game 1 of a first-round series versus the Los Angeles Lakers.
Udoka told reporters that Durant attempted to warm up a few hours prior to Saturday’s tipoff, but the All-Star forward ultimately didn’t feel good enough to play.
With Durant sidelined, the Rockets started Reed Sheppard and Josh Okogie alongside the three entrenched starters of Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun.
Udoka said the Rockets are hopeful that Durant will only miss one game. Game 2 isn’t until Tuesday night, giving Durant 72 additional hours to rest.
Durant joins Lakers guards Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (left oblique strain) as high-profile talents on the sidelines to start the best-of-seven series. Durant is Houston’s leading scorer, while Doncic and Reaves rank first and second, respectively, on the Lakers.
Doncic and Reaves suffered Grade 2 strains, so it is unclear if they will be able to return during this series. The injury to Durant is presumably not as significant, and he did go through some on-court drills prior to tipoff.
Durant hit the knee “in an awkward spot” above the patella tendon during Wednesday’s practice, Udoka told reporters (via Rachel Nichols, Fox Sports 1). Udoka says imaging showed “nothing major,” but he added that Durant’s knee is “very tender and tough to bend in certain ways.”
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Kevin Durant (knee bruise) misses Game 1 of Rockets-Lakers playoffs
Reporting by Ben DuBose, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
