The Houston Rockets are suddenly dealing with an injury to Kevin Durant for the start of the NBA Playoffs.
Durant will not play in Saturday’s Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals due to a knee injury, coach Ime Udoka revealed. The team is optimistic that Durant will only have to miss one game due to the injury.
Ime Udoka says Durant tested the knee and it didn’t feel good enough. Hopes his absence will be a one game thing https://t.co/sxybq3IxyH
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) April 18, 2026
Udoka added that Durant is only dealing with soreness and has undergone testing. Reports indicated that the injury happened in practice on Wednesday when he accidentally bumped knees with a teammate.
Durant popped up on the injury report Friday without warning with a knee contusion. The abrupt injury issue was concerning, but few expected Durant to actually miss a game because of it.
Even a one-game absence for Durant will help even the score against the Lakers, who have been absolutely battered by injuries. The Rockets appear confident that he will be fine, but they have to be hoping this does not turn out to be something that lingers.
Durant, 37, was extremely durable this season. He averaged 26 points per game and had missed only four games all year before Saturday.
