The Houston Rockets are in trouble in the eyes of Iman Shumpert.
The former NBA veteran initially predicted that the Rockets would have no issue taking care of business against the Los Angeles Lakers, who are missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves.
But as the Rockets have a Kevin Durant injury to worry about, the narrative is changing. A knee contusion took Durant off the floor ahead of Game 1.
As a result, the Lakers stunned the Rockets with a 107-98 victory.
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 16: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets during the game at Toyota Center on March 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Kevin Durant could make his return for Game 2, but his status is up in the air. If the veteran forward doesn’t get cleared for action, Shumpert is convinced that the Lakers will punish an Alperen Sengun-led Rockets team.
Iman Shumpert Makes Strong Rockets Claim
GettyNEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARCH 29: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets warms up prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on March 29, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)
âIf KD donât play, LeBron James will dog walk this s***. Iâm being 100% serious. Itâs not going to be like this dominating version of LeBron, but Bronâs best attribute is his basketball mind. He does matchups better than anybody that weâve seen. Thatâs from matching up as a team, who gets to shoot on what side of the court, what percentages would work out in his head, thatâs what heâs good at,” said Shumpert.
In Game 1, LeBron checked in for 38 minutes. The veteran superstar contributed 19 points while dishing out 13 assists. He nearly notched a triple-double with eight rebounds.
“KD better get healthy,” Shumpert added. “If KD is not healthy and Houston has to manufacture points in a brand new way that they havenât done all year, when theyâve gotten comfortable doing everything as Alperen Sengun being the second option? ⦠I did not like what I saw out of Houston without Kevin Durant.â
Sengun produced 19 points on 6-19 shooting from the field and 7-9 shooting from the stripe. He also had six assists and eight rebounds.
Seeing as though the Rockets barely played without Durant throughout the 2025-2026 NBA season, it doesn’t come as a surprise to see that they couldn’t overcome the obstacle of playing without him.
In an ideal world, Durant returns for Game 2 in order to boost Houston’s odds of evening the series score. If he doesn’t return, the Rockets could be in a bad spot, as the Lakers are clearly feeling confident about where they are, even while shorthanded.
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