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HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets reacts during the first quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas.

The Los Angeles Lakers are up 3-2 over the Houston Rockets in the first-round playoff series, and much of that lead is due to Kevin Durant‘s current injury and the fact that he’s only played one game in the first round so far.

While the Lakers were previously without Austin Reaves before Game 5 and are still without Luka Doncic, the Rockets have been dealing with a Durant injury that, so far, has been more impactful compared to what Los Angeles was missing.

Durant has already been ruled out for Game 6, and based on some recent predictions, he might not be back in the series at all, which is good news for a Lakers team that needs just one more win to advance to the second round.

Latest Kevin Durant Injury Prediction Is Good News For Lakers

As Shams Charania of ESPN reported, Durant will miss Game 6 of the Lakers-Rockets series. It comes after he has missed the past three games with a bone bruise in his right ankle, and injury that he suffered late in Game 2. Durant also missed the opening matchup of the series with a knee injury, and so far, has played just 41 total playoff minutes this year.

“Kevin Durant will not play in Game 6 against the Lakers because of the ankle injury that has sidelined the Rockets star for most of Houston’s first-round playoff series,” Charania wrote. “It will mark the fourth consecutive game that Durant misses because of the bone bruise in his left ankle.”

Now, Durant’s status for the rest of the series is up in the air. However, according to ex-NBA player Chandler Parsons of the Run It Back show, he believes the injury is serious and could keep the 37-year-old sidelined for the remainder of the first round.

“Whatever he’s dealing with, I have to think it’s something serious,” Parsons said. “You have to think he wants to be out there. It’s gotta be something. This dude is not soft; he wants to play.”

Parsons’ co-host, Michelle Beadle, added that Durant only missed four games in the regular season for the Rockets, but has now sat out in that many games already since the start of the playoffs.

While Durant’s status for a potential Game 7 remains unknown, he won’t be playing in Game 6.

Lakers Fumble Game 5 Despite Austin Reaves Injury Return

As the Rockets continue to be without Durant, the Lakers saw the return of Reaves in Game 6. He was questionable and then upgraded to available, finally able to make his playoff debut for Los Angeles this season.

However, in the potential series-clinching game, Reaves and the Lakers team as a whole couldn’t get the job done. The shooting guard scored 22 points on 4/16 shooting while Los Angeles lost the turnover and shooting percentage battle.

Getting Reaves back is overall a good sign for the Lakers as it relates to this series and a potential next-round matchup, but he didn’t offer what was needed in Game 5.

Still, the Lakers have a chance to close out the series in Game 6, which comes on Friday, May 1, in a matchup that will once again not see Durant play for the Rockets.