Kevin Durant was entirely MIA for Friday’s Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers, but it at least seems like he had a good reason for it.
The Houston Rockets star Durant had to sit out of Game 3 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas due to a left ankle sprain. Durant was a late scratch after reportedly experiencing swelling and tenderness that failed to subside during pregame warmups.
Interestingly enough, Durant was not on the Rockets bench at all throughout the entire game. Without Durant around, Houston lost a 112-108 overtime heartbreaker to the Lakers after a catastrophic collapse in the final 30 seconds of regulation.
After the game, Rockets coach Ime Udoka revealed to reporters why Durant was not on the team’s bench. Udoka said that Durant spent the entire game receiving treatment on his ankle, per Houston team reporter Jackson Gatlin.
Indeed, the former MVP Durant was probably better served getting around-the-clock treatment, especially with a need to maximize his potential return window now that the Rockets are down in the series to the Lakers 3-0. But in terms of solidarity and team cohesion, you can see why the absence might not have been the best look for Durant.
Now 37 years old, Durant also missed Game 1 of the series due to a sudden knee injury. With the Rockets facing elimination in Sunday’s Game 4, Durant is facing a lot of uncertainty right now, both in terms of the series and in terms of what his future in Houston might look like from here.
