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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 07: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Houston Rockets dropped Game 2 after their star Kevin Durant returned to drop 23 points before the ankle took its toll in the second half. The loss means the Rockets are in a difficult position heading into Game 3.
Back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Lakers have them facing a first round exit. The series shifts to Houston on Friday night, and the crowd at the Toyota Center will be ready.
Thursday brought an update that will shape everything about how Game 3 unfolds.
Durant is listed as questionable for Game 3 with a sprained left ankle.
He missed Game 1 with a right knee contusion before returning for Game 2, finishing with 23 points on efficient shooting in the first half. The second half told a different story.
After the break, Durant managed just three points on 1-for-5 shooting and committed nine turnovers, the most he has posted in a single postseason game. The ankle clearly affected his mobility as the game wore on, and Houston could not compensate for the drop-off. The Lakers won 101-94 to go up 2-0.
The questionable tag leaves his availability genuinely open. Houston will know more as the day progresses, but the Rockets need him on the floor and functional if they are going to extend the series.
GettyHouston Rockets forward Kevin Durant.
The Game 1 absence illustrated the problem in the clearest terms. Without Durant, Houston’s offense had no reliable engine and the Lakers controlled the game throughout against a team already missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Houston lost by nine in a game they needed.
Durant has been one of the most available players in the league this season, rarely missing time before the ankle issue emerged. His scoring versatility, playmaking off the bounce, and ability to get to his spots at any level give the Rockets a dimension nobody else on the roster can replicate. Houston with Durant on the floor, even at less than full capacity, is a genuinely different team.
The Lakers have their own injury news ahead of Friday. Reaves has been upgraded to questionable after beginning his return program this week.
Luka Doncic remains out with a hamstring strain. For the Rockets, it will not matter unless Durant can go at full capacity.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 12: Marcus Smart #36, Austin Reaves #15 and Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers watch from the bench during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena on April 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Houston cannot afford a 3-0 deficit. No team in NBA history has recovered from one.
Durant listed as questionable is not the same as Durant being out. There is a meaningful difference. But the second-half performance in Game 2 showed what a compromised version of him looks like against a disciplined Lakers defense. The ankle will need to respond quickly.
Game 3 is in Houston. The crowd will bring the energy.
Durant and the Rockets have to bring the rest.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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