With a 2-0 lead against the Rockets, the Lakers could virtually end this series with a victory on the road tonight. While it won’t be any by any stretch, the latest update out of Houston has just increased their odds for success.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, veteran forward Kevin Durant has been ruled out for Game 3 due to a left ankle sprain he sustained in the second half of Tuesday’s game. He was initially listed as questionable to play, but Rockets coach Ime Udoka hinted at some lingering discomfort before tip-off that ultimately forced him out.
“He’s a little bit ginger, went through some things at shootaround,” said Udoka, via Dave McMenamin. “Had some swelling in the ankle. We’ll give it a go tonight and see how he feels before the game.”
Durant already missed Game 1 after tweaking his knee in practice, which led to a blowout loss for the Rockets and raised concerns right away. The only thing worse is what came after: a seven-point loss in Game 2 (101-94), despite nearly 41 minutes of action from Kevin. He ended up with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in the game on 58.3% shooting and 25.0% shooting from three.
So, with the Rockets in a 2-0 hole, they need to win tonight’s game, or they can abandon all hope of a comeback. No team has come back from down 3-0 before, and the Rockets are hardly in a position to make history now, between the injuries and the miserable state of their offense.
In these desperate times, with their season on the line, the Rockets will have to look elsewhere to fill the scoring void. In Game 1, it was Alperen Sengun who led the way with 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block on 6-19 shooting. While it was hardly enough to win the game, the Rockets will need that production and more to match the Lakers’ firepower.
Even without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves (who may return tonight), the Purple and Gold have a cast that’s more than capable of holding their own, and they’ve proven it so far with a 2-0 record. Besides LeBron James, the combined efforts of Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, and Deandre Ayton have kept the Lakers going amid all the uncertainty with their lineups.
The Rockets just haven’t had that same luck so far. Their offense is just too reliant on Kevin Durant to score points, apply pressure on the perimeter, and draw defenders’ attention. Without his presence on the outside, Houston is vulnerable on multiple fronts, and they have yet to find a solution.
As for what comes next, it really depends on the results of this game. If the Lakers take a 3-0 lead, the series would be all but over, and the Rockets could resort to shutting down Durant. But if they can show some signs of life here on their home floor, it could persuade Durant to complete his recovery and risk everything to be available for Game 4. Regardless of the timeline, it’s an unfortunate situation for the Rockets, but they can’t expect any sympathy in the cut-throat world of NBA playoff basketball.
