Durant (knee) will be a game-time decision for Game 2 on Tuesday against the Lakers, per Will Guillory of The Athletic.
Durant, who missed Game 1 due to a right knee contusion, was a partial participant in Monday's practice. The Rockets are likely to re-evaluate him closer to Tuesday's tipoff. If Durant is unable to suit up, Houston would likely be forced to start Josh Okogie once again.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Logs double-double in defeat
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Smith logged 16 points (5-14 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 3-5 FT), 12 rebounds and two steals across 43 minutes during Saturday's 107-98 loss to the Lakers in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Smith's performance on both sides of the ball helped to soften the blow caused by Kevin Durant's (knee) absence, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Lakers' relentless offensive onslaught. Smith has often been a savior for the Rockets when Durant or Alperen Sengun have been sidelined, but Game 1's result highlights the need for Durant on the court.
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Rockets' Tari Eason: Coming off bench
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Eason will come off the bench for Saturday's Game 1 against the Lakers, according to Rockets reporter Matt Thomas.
After starting the regular season finale with multiple starters sitting out, Eason is back with the second unit. He may see additional minutes, however, as Kevin Durant (knee) is out for Game 1.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Won't play in Game 1
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Durant (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's Game 1 against the Lakers, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Durant bumped knees with a teammate in practice and won't suit up Saturday due to a right knee contusion. With the superstar sidelined, Tari Eason and Josh Okogie are candidates for expanded roles, while Jae'Sean Tate and Dorian Finney-Smith could see increased run. Durant's next chance to play will come in Game 2 in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Questionable for Game 1
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Durant is questionable for Saturday's Game 1 matchup with the Lakers due to a right knee contusion.
Durant is dealing with a bruise on his right knee, but we'll have a better idea on his playing status based on his activity level at shootaround. Check back for another update closer to Saturday's tipoff.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Ruled out for Sunday
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Durant (rest) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against Memphis.
Durant will take a seat for Sunday's regular-season finale, though he should be good to go for the postseason. The superstar forward will end the regular season with averages of 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals in 36.4 minutes per contest across 78 outings.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Pours in 33 points in loss
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Durant closed with 33 points (13-18 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 7-9 FT), seven rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and one steal across 39 minutes during Friday's 136-132 loss to the Timberwolves.
Durant stormed to a high point total without any help from his long-range shot. He registered zero three-pointers for only the eighth game this season, but his overall fantasy total was bolstered by sufficient rebound and assist numbers. Durant is averaging 26.8 points, 6.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks through six contests in April.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Paces Houston in win
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Durant contributed 29 points (10-18 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 6-8 FT), seven rebounds and five assists across 38 minutes in Thursday's 113-102 win over the 76ers.
Durant turned in an efficient performance on the offensive end and led all players in scoring. The superstar also led Houston in assists and has dished out at least five dimes in all but one of his last 10 appearances. The veteran forward has chipped in at least 24 points in four straight games, averaging 27.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest during that span.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Logs 24 points in return to Phoenix
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Durant produced 24 points (8-20 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 3-3 FT), four rebounds and three assists across 36 minutes during Tuesday's 119-105 win over the Suns.
Durant drilled five three-pointers against his former team, which helped offset an otherwise below-average shooting night. Durant and the rest of the squad started slowly, but they regained control and ultimately pulled away in the final quarter. The Rockets are in a dead heat with the Lakers for the fourth seed, so Durant should see no downgrade in minutes over the final three games of the season.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Dazzles with 31 points
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Durant accumulated 31 points (10-17 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 8-9 FT), eight rebounds, eight assists and three blocks over 37 minutes during Sunday's 117-116 win over the Warriors.
Durant and the rest of Houston's starting lineup played spoiler to Stephen Curry's return to action, though the Warriors didn't make it easy. The veteran continues to compile excellent numbers for the Rockets, and he's paced the team with more frequency in recent weeks. While that honor occasionally goes to Amen Thompson or Alperen Sengun, Durant's recent explosive totals have resulted in game-high numbers fairly often. He's averaged 26.9 points, 6.9 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots over the past 10 contests.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Paces Houston in win
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Durant recorded 25 points (8-12 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 7-8 FT), six assists, five rebounds and two blocks across 30 minutes in Friday's 140-106 win over the Jazz.
Durant turned in an extremely efficient performance and needed only three quarters to drop a team-high 25 points. He has reached the 20-point threshold in all but one of his last nine games, scoring at least 25 points in seven of them. The star forward also finished second on the Rockets in assists, dishing out at least five dimes for a seventh consecutive contest. Additionally, Durant matched the game-best mark in blocks and has recorded multiple swats in two of the last three games.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Sniffs double-double
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Durant notched 19 points (7-16 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 3-4 FT), five rebounds, nine assists and one block in 39 minutes during Wednesday's 119-113 win over Milwaukee.
Durant ended just one assist away from recording what would've been his second double-double over the last four games, but it's worth noting the veteran forward seems to be embracing a bigger role as a playmaker. Durant has dished out at least eight assists in four of his last five games, averaging 24.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.2 dimes per game over that stretch. An uptick in assists would be huge for Durant, as he's already a productive, proven scorer who shoots at a high clip.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Propels Houston to victory
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Durant finished Tuesday's 111-94 victory over the Knicks with 27 points (10-18 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 3-4 FT), six rebounds, eight assists and two blocks over 35 minutes.
Durant looked extremely comfortable on the offensive end Tuesday night and ended the game with a team-high 27 points with the help of four triples. The 37-year-old was also heavily involved as a playmaker, and he's now dished out eight or more dimes in three of his previous four outings.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Struggles from deep in win
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Durant recorded 20 points (7-16 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 5-5 FT), four rebounds, six assists and one steal over 29 minutes during Sunday's 134-102 win over the Pelicans.
Durant was coming off a 25-point, 10-assist performance in Friday's win over the Grizzlies, and while he couldn't repeat those numbers, the forward at least reached the 20-point mark for the sixth straight game. Over that stretch, Durant has averaged 27.8 points per game while shooting an impressive 53.3 percent from the floor.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Scores 25 points with 10 assists
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Durant had 25 points (8-14 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 6-7 FT), six rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in 35 minutes during Friday's 119-109 win over the Grizzlies.
Durant coughed up the rock six times during Wednesday's loss to Minnesota, but he did a much better job of taking care of the rock in Friday's win, finishing with three giveaways across 35 minutes. Durant has been a steady top-20 player this season with averages of 26.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.4 triples per contest.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Drops 30 points in loss
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Durant closed Wednesday's 110-108 overtime loss to Minnesota with 30 points (9-22 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 10-12 FT), three rebounds, eight assists, one block and two steals over 43 minutes.
For the 27th time this campaign, Durant eclipsed 30 points for the Rockets. He continues to hold off Father Time, as he holds averages of 26.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 36.4 minutes across 69 appearances this season.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Drops 40 points in loss
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Durant collected 40 points (15-23 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 5-8 FT), seven rebounds and five assists in 40 minutes during Monday's 132-124 loss to the Bulls.
Durant turned in an elite shooting performance, and yet it wasn't enough to guide Houston to a victory against an inferior Chicago squad. This marks the second time in 68 appearances this season that he's reached the 40-point mark. Durant is knocking down 57.5 percent of his field-goal attempts over his last six games.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Nets 25 points with six assists
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Durant contributed 25 points (9-15 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 4-5 FT), three rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals over 30 minutes during Friday's 117-95 win over the Hawks.
Durant was held to 18 points and struggled with turnovers in back-to-back losses to the Lakers, but he cracked the 20-point plateau Friday evening and didn't commit a single turnover in his 30 minutes of floor time. Durant has been a steady top-20 stud this season, averaging 25.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.3 triples per contest.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Limited impact in loss to LAL
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Durant notched 18 points (7-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-3 FT), six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 38 minutes during Wednesday's 124-116 loss to the Lakers.
Durant delivered an efficient shooting performance, but he wasn't as involved as he had been in previous games -- the 11 field-goal attempts were his third-lowest mark since the beginning of February. Durant has always been an efficient shooter and a reliable offensive weapon, so he should be able to turn things around rather quickly as soon as he gets as involved as he usually is on offense. Having said that, the fact that Durant has failed to reach the 20-point mark in three of his past four outings should be considered slightly worrisome at least.
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Rockets' Kevin Durant: Mild effort in loss
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Durant notched 18 points (8-16 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and two assists across 37 minutes during Monday's 100-92 loss to the Lakers.
Durant wasn't able to find much success, with the Lakers throwing constant double teams at him. His fantasy managers haven't had much to complain about this season, however, as he's on pace to return second-round value in nine-category formats with averages of 25.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.3 three-pointers.
