The Rockets are set to face the Lakers for Game 2 of their first-round series. After losing Game 1 without Kevin Durant, who was sidelined with a right knee contusion, the Rockets are optimistic about their star player’s return to action. But fans may not want to count their chickens before the eggs hatch.
Dr Evan Jeffries, the NBA and the NFL’s ‘injury insider’, reviewed the latest update on Kevin Durant and gave his opinion with a potential alternative assessment of his situation.
“Contact directly with the tendon can cause a bruise, but it can also cause an ‘acute tendonitis.’ This can cause pain, swelling, and a lack of range of motion,” wrote Dr. Jeffries on X.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Durant’s status is still day-to-day. The NBA insider appeared on ESPN and gave the latest intel on Durant’s injury.
“Durant’s status for Game 2 is up in the air,” he said. “My understanding is that Kevin Durant is dealing with a deep patellar bruise in his right tendon that he suffered last Wednesday during a practice drill where he was chasing a loose ball and collided with a teammate.”
“And that has since caused swelling, pain, and he has lost a range of motion in the leg as well. And for Kevin Durant to miss a playoff game, that speaks to the severity of the injury itself, and the Rockets remain optimistic that Kevin Durant is going to be able to return as soon as Game 2.”
“But it remains to be seen, depending on how that knee and that leg respond to this deep bruise in the patellar tendon,” concluded Charania.
Durant was seen putting shots up in practice with some sort of tape on his knee. He was reportedly moving much better in practice than he was on the day of Game 1.
Kevin Durant is here getting shots up after Rockets practice today in LA. Looks like he’s got some type of tape on his right knee.
Appears to be moving around much better than he was a few nights ago. pic.twitter.com/JI4HnCtFXB
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) April 20, 2026
According to reports, Durant was very frustrated with the injury as he sat and watched the Rockets lose from the sidelines. He also indulged in intense trash-talk with the Lakers’ fans during Game 1. Clearly, he is itching to come back to action.
The 37-year-old Rockets’ star averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while shooting 52.0% from the floor and 41.3% from beyond the arc in a whopping 78 games played this season. Having stayed healthy throughout the regular season, this is a very unfortunate time for his injury.
Durant remains a game-time decision for the Rockets, who will have a mountain to climb if they also end up losing Game 2 to the Lakers without him.
The Rockets’ fans are certainly biting their nails over Durant’s availability to play. It will be very interesting to see what happens in the first-round series, which arguably has the most eyes on it. Game 2 is scheduled for tomorrow night, Tuesday, April 21.
