The Los Angeles Lakers swiped a win away from the Houston Rockets late in the fourth quarter and overtime of Game 3 in Texas without Kevin Durant there to help slam the door, and there is a chance he won’t be available for Game 4, either.
After ripping his team for being “scared of the moment” after they surrendered a six-point lead with possession of the basketball and less than 30 seconds to play in regulation, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka offered the latest insight into Durant’s health status.
“Up in the air,” Udoka said, per ESPN. “I think we made some progress in the last few days, but we’ll see how that [goes] with only one day in between.”
Kevin Durant Has Battled 2 Injuries Over 3 Games Against Lakers
Durant missed Friday night’s contest due to a sprained left ankle. He played in Game 2, but made just seven baskets as opposed to committing nine turnovers, after missing the series opener due to a knee contusion he suffered in practice leading up to Round 1 of the Western Conference playoffs.
The Rockets mustered triple-digits inside 48 minutes for the first time in the series on Friday, scoring 101 points across four quarters before losing the overtime period 11-7 and the game by a score of 112-108.
Ironically, Houston’s sole game with Durant in the lineup ended in their worst overall offensive output to this point, as they lost Game 2 by a tally of 101-94. The Lakers captured Game 1 by nine points, 107-98.
The Rockets have also been without point guard Fred VanVleet and center Steven Adams for the entire series. VanVleet suffered an ACL tear during the preseason, while Adams injured his ankle in January and missed the rest of the campaign following surgery.
LeBron James Has Pushed Lakers to 3-0 Lead Over Rockets by Averaging Near Triple-Double at Age 41
Meanwhile, the No. 4-seeded Lakers are on the doorstep of a first-round sweep despite the absences of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves from the series.
The Lakers listed Reaves as questionable heading into Game 3, though ultimately ruled him out shortly before the contest due to lingering issues from his oblique strain. Los Angeles does not expect Doncic to return from a hamstring strain in time to contribute at all to the team’s Round 1 series, regardless of how long it continues.
Either player is a possibility to return for a Round 2 series, however, with Reaves at this point appearing more likely than not to be a factor if L.A. can win one of the next four games against Houston and advance.
Should Los Angeles move on, the Lakers will face the winners of the series between the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and the No. 8 seed Phoenix Suns. Oklahoma City, the reigning NBA champion, is currently up 2-0 and heading to Arizona for Game 3 on Saturday.
The LeBron Factor: A 41-Year-Old Playing at an MVP Level
As it looks now, the Lakers should be just fine without Reaves and Doncic, given the sustained excellence of 41-year-old LeBron James.
James, who forced a late turnover and hit the game-tying 3-point shot to send the contest to overtime on Friday night, is averaging 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 2.0 steals per outing on 47.4 percent shooting from the floor and 43.8 percent from behind the 3-point line across 40.7 minutes per night.
“The game’s never over until zeroes on the clock,” James said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “We don’t have the luxury of being passive or being complacent … because we don’t have a long leash of error.”
James has been the best player on the floor in every game of the series. He is the reason the Lakers are up 3-0 despite being without their second and third options.
The Verdict: A Season on the Brink
The Rockets are one loss away from elimination. They have been without Durant for two of the three games. They have been without VanVleet and Adams for the entire series.
They have fought hard. They have competed. But they have not been able to overcome the injuries.
Now, they face a must-win Game 4 at home. If they lose, the season is over. If they win, they stave off elimination and force a Game 5 back in Los Angeles.
Durant’s status is the biggest variable. If he plays, the Rockets have a chance. If he sits, the Lakers will likely close out the series.
Udoka said Durant’s status is “up in the air.” The basketball world will be watching.
The Lakers are one win away. The Rockets are fighting for their season.
Game 4 is Sunday. The stakes could not be higher. And the drama is just beginning.