Kevin Durant's Injury Status Changes Everything for the Houston Rockets

Houston will need its star back for Game 2 against the Los Angeles Lakers to keep its deep playoff hopes alive.

Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) and forward Kevin Durant (center) watch during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs was an utter disaster for the Houston Rockets. Even without Kevin Durant, they should have come into Los Angeles and stolen the first-round opener against the Lakers, who are missing Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Instead, they enter Game 2 down 1-0 in the series.

The Rockets' offense was nothing more than putrid in Game 1. They committed just 13 turnovers, but shot 38% from the field and 33% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Lakers came into this red hot, posting 61-53-65 shooting splits. All five starters were in double figures, led by LeBron James and Luke Kennard.

Durant's absence was clearly the reason for this defeat, because Houston ran its offense through Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard. The two combined for 34 points on 13-for-38 shooting from the field. The Rockets' other All-Star, Alperen Şengün, put up 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists, but committed three turnovers while shooting 6-for-19.

The Rockets posted a 104.3 offensive rating, way below their regular-season rating of 117.5, and those 82 games saw an incredible amount of inconsistency. Playoff basketball is a different animal, but Houston can't lack this much on that end of the floor.

Durant missed Game 1 due to a knee contusion suffered during a practice last week. He'll be a game-time decision for Game 2, but even if he's on the floor, he won't be 100%.

According to databallr, when Durant is on the floor this season, the Rockets post an offensive rating of 120.2 and 58% true shooting in medium and high-leverage positions. When he's not out there, those numbers drop to a 117.4 offensive rating and 54.7% true shooting percentage.

Durant changes everything for Houston's offense. Yes, the Rockets have suffered from a lack of ball security and offensive stability even when he's out there, but they're that much worse when the 37-year-old is sidelined. Durant takes the pressure off the young core in high-pressure situations, able to generate points from anywhere on the floor.

The Rockets desperately need him to return in this series because the Lakers believe they're the better team, even without Dončić and Reaves. LeBron James doesn't need to be a scoring machine, rather an all-around hub for Los Angeles. He recorded 19 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists, while Luke Kennard poured in 27 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc.