The Lakers vs. Rockets series has taken an interesting turn with games 4 and 5. The Lakers, who once held a 3-0 lead, are now fighting to avoid a historic collapse that would haunt them for years.
On top of everything, the Lake Show got the news they’ve been dreading for days: the return of Kevin Durant. In the latest injury report, he’s listed as doubtful with a left ankle sprain, a notable change from earlier in the day, when reports suggested he was already set to miss the game. He joins Steven Adams (left ankle surgery) and Fred VanVleet (ACL) in recovery, who have been ruled out completely.
Since Adams and VanVleet are (for sure) not coming back, Durant is the only name to pay attention to here. He missed Game 1 after bumping knees with his teammate, and then missed Games 3, 4, and 5 after tweaking his ankle in Game 2. While he’s been working hard toward a return, the process is still ongoing as he continues to experience pain and swelling in the area.
While the Rockets are winless with Durant on the floor in these playoffs, his presence still increased their odds of success, with averages of 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game on 52.0% shooting and 41.3% shooting from three. Besides being their leading scorer, he’s their vocal leader on the floor and a major component to everything they do. If he gets cleared to play, it would only put the Lakers in a more precarious situation.
Speaking of the Lakers, Luka Doncic continues to miss time with a left hamstring strain. The latest claims say he won’t be ready for a few more weeks, likely ruling him out until Game 3 or 4 of the Semifinals (if the Lakers get there). Fortunately, there’s no sign of Austin Reaves on the injury report, meaning that his health has remained intact after making his season playoff debut on Wednesday.
For a team that’s losing momentum and facing a must-win game on the road, the Lakers need all the help they can get. While they may be up in the series, a case can be made that they should be down 3-2, given the Rockets’ epic collapse on Friday. If they lose this Game 6, with or without Durant, it would put all the pressure on them to win Game 7 and avoid an embarrassing choke job.
In the end, with so many variables at play, it’s impossible to tell what to expect from Friday’s pivotal matchup. At the very least, it’ll come with a sense of intensity and urgency from both sides as they fight for their playoff lives. Even if he’s less than 100%, Durant could easily swing the results if his teammates provide enough support in all the right areas. At 37, with two championships, he doesn’t have anything left to prove, but leading the Rockets to victory in this series would surely count as one of the crowning achievements of his career.
Right now, Durant’s focus is just on getting healthy and winning Game 6 to extend their season, but that’s easier said than done. With the odds stacked against them, the Rockets are not favored to advance — still, Durant’s improving condition (and their performance in the last two games) gives them hope for better days ahead.
