Rockets’ Kevin Durant dominated out for potential elimination Sport 6 vs. Lakers

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant has formally been dominated out for Sport 6 in opposition to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night time, marking the fifth sport he’s missed as a consequence of harm throughout Houston’s first-round playoff sequence.

After making his solely look of the sequence in a 101-94 loss to the Lakers in Sport 2 on April 21, Durant has missed the final three video games after struggling a left ankle sprain late in that loss. He missed Sport 1 as a consequence of a proper knee contusion he suffered in observe.

Durant’s absence has been the most important story of the playoffs for Houston after the 37-year-old excelled in his first season with the Rockets, which included him lacking simply 4 video games throughout the common season (one as a consequence of harm).

With out Durant, the Rockets struggled mightily to realize footing on the offensive finish and fell right into a 3-0 gap within the sequence, regardless of Los Angeles being with out its two main scorers, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, in these three video games.

Since then, Houston has discovered new life and gained the final two video games, pushing the sequence to a pivotal Sport 6 on Friday night time in Houston.

With a win in Sport 6, the Rockets would proceed their gorgeous bounce-back and power a Sport 7 on Sunday with an opportunity to attain historical past. No staff has ever come again from a 3-0 deficit and gained a sequence in NBA historical past. Whereas the Rockets are with out a number of key veterans throughout this significant level within the season, the younger core in Houston, led by Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson, has continued to struggle.

Durant was listed as uncertain in Thursday’s harm report, which signifies he could also be nearing a return within the coming days, however it stays unclear if he’d be wholesome sufficient to play in a possible Sport 7.