NBA playoffs 2026: Kevin Durant ruled out for Game 1 vs. Lakers
Durant had previously been listed as questionable for the start of the first-round series.
The Los Angeles Lakers won’t be the only team missing a star in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Houston Rockets. Hours before the series was set to begin Saturday, the Rockets ruled out Kevin Durant with a knee contusion. He had previously been listed as questionable for the game , with ESPN reporting the Rockets to be optimistic the injury, sustained in practice, wouldn’t impact the series.
Durant was previously seen going through pregame warm-ups, which apparently didn’t go well enough for him to give it a shot. Kevin Durant just came out and started going thru his pregame warmup. He's listed as questionable for Game 1 tonight with a right knee contusion.
pic. twitter. com/iRWFDwqhnC — Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) April 18, 2026 Rockets head coach Ime Udoka told reporters, “ Hopefully it’s a one-game thing .
” With Durant out, the Rockets rolled out a starting lineup of Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. , Reed Sheppard and Josh Okogie against Los Angeles. The development somewhat evens the odds for the Lakers, who still have leading scorers Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out indefinitely with injuries.