The Houston Rockets are trending in the right direction, but the team’s hopes to win the series against the Los Angeles Lakers will not be reliant on Kevin Durant amid his recent ankle injury. Houston’s star has been sidelined with an ankle injury and will not play in Game 6 against the Lakers, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Durant will miss his fourth consecutive game of the series as the star continues to recover from an injury. KD has only played in Game 2 of the NBA playoffs and will be sidelined for the fifth time in six games during the Rockets-Lakers series.
“Sources tell me Kevin Durant will be out for Game 6,” Charania explained during an April 30, 2026, edition of “Get Up.” “He’s not going to be playing, so he will have missed five of six games so far in this series. He’s dealing with a bone bruise in his left ankle.
“We know he dealt with a tendon bruise that sidelined him for Game 1, but this bone bruise is a two-week minimum injury. He’s just over one week right now, so Houston is going to rely on that young core that they have. They’ve had pretty much full control of the last three games.”
Here’s what you need to know about Durant’s injury.
Kevin Durant’s Injury: KD Is Trending Towards Not Playing in Remainder of Rockets-Lakers Playoff Games
Charania indicated that Durant still needs at least another week of recovery. If the Rockets are able to force a Game 7, it would appear that Durant will also be sidelined for this playoff matchup as well.
“It’s created stiffness, swelling, a lack of mobility as well,” Charania said of Durant’s injury ahead of Game 5. “And look for Houston now to rely on that young core of Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. A key stat here, in 61 minutes together in this series, that quartet is a plus-31.”
Does Kevin Durant Mesh With Rockets’ Young Core of Star Players?
With Durant sidelined, Charania hinted that the star has not exactly meshed with the Rockets young core. Durant played 41 minutes in Game 2, posting 23 points, six rebounds and four assists against the Lakers.
“And so, I think the onus for the Rockets has been a lot about that young core,” Charania added. “How do they mesh with Kevin Durant? But now with no Kevin Durant, you’re leaning on especially those three guys, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun.
“And last night, you know what caught my eye? Jabari Smith leading huddles down the stretch of the game. Every single time on defense, he was bringing the guys together,” Charania continued.
“And those three guys have been leading dinners, team camaraderie down the stretch of this playoff run that obviously has had its ups and downs.”
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