Kevin Durant injury update: will he return for Game 5 vs. the Lakers?
The Rockets remain tight-lipped – perhaps strategically: the latest updates on Durant’s injury and potential return
The Houston Rockets stared elimination in the face and didn’t blink. Despite the last-minute absence of Kevin Durant, sidelined with an ankle sprain, Houston routed the Los Angeles Lakers 115-96 in Game 4, avoiding the sweep and giving themselves another lifeline thanks to the impact of Alperen Sengun.
Without their best player, Ime Udoka’s squad found unexpected answers, turning the fear of going home into the energy needed to dominate at the Toyota Center. But while the team celebrated staying alive, attention quickly shifted to the injury report.
Durant’s medical update: “Treatment only”
Durant’s condition – at 37 years old after showing remarkable durability by playing 78 games in the regular season (26 points on 52% shooting and 41% from three) – has become a complex medical case. Udoka revealed that the ankle sprain is complicated by bone edema, causing “swelling, stiffness, and limited mobility.”
Udoka’s comments, reported by Vanessa Richardson of ESPN, leave Game 5 status uncertain:
Kevin Durant is day-to-day. He’s not ruled out for the rest of the series, but we’re proceeding with intensive treatment around the clock
Vanessa Richardson
A ghost in this series
So far, KD’s impact in these playoffs has been a shadow of his usual self. He missed Game 1 with a knee contusion and, in the only game he played (Game 2), looked limited, scoring just 3 points in the second half.
His presence has been felt more through off-court “trolling” of Deandre Ayton than on the floor, but to attempt the impossible – becoming the first team in history to come back from 0-3 – Houston cannot do without its 16-time All-Star.
The two days of rest before returning to Crypto.com Arena will be decisive. Without Durant, the Rockets have shown heart; with him, they might truly start believing in a miracle.