Rockets and Lakers Combine to List Four Players on Injury Report for Game 6

Houston and LA will face off in Game 6 tonight down a handful of players.

Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka watches in 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

For the third-straight time, the Houston Rockets will take the floor with their season on the line. Winning tonight would mean some nearly unprecedented waters, forcing a Game 7 with a real chance to do the unthinkable.

In the first half of the series with Los Angeles, few things fell the Rockets way. Their youth and inexperience shone through often, and a Game 3 collapse saw them down 3-0, which no team in league history has ever come back from.

Since then, Houston has thoroughly out-played the Lakers both home and away, and is now one win away from forcing a Game 7, which team's down 0-3 have only done four times in league history. The comeback is still improbable, but Houston's improved defense mixed with the Lakers' growing fatigue could make things interesting as the series swings back home for the Rockets.

Here are the injury reports for both teams ahead of a heavily important Game 6:

Houston Rockets injuries:

Steven Adams — Out: Left ankle surgery

Kevin Durant — Out: Left ankle sprain

Fred VanVleet — Out: Right knee ACL repair

LA Lakers injuries:

Luka Doncic — Out: Left hamstring strain

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The Rockets continue to list three players in total, all of which have been mainstays on the injury report this series. Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet have now been out for all or much of the season with respective injuries, and aren’t expected back this season.

Durant is likely to miss the remainder of the series with a left ankle sprain, picked up suffering through a knee contusion in Game 2. Durant has a history of toughing things out deep into the postseason, meaning his combination of present injuries likely are unmanageable. 

As has been reported, Luka Doncic isn’t likely to make his return in the first-round series, and could even miss time heading into the second round, should the Lakers punch their ticket in either of the next two games. Doncic led the entire league in scoring this season, averaging 33.5 points on 48% shooting.

After dealing with a late-season oblique strain, Austin Reaves finally made his return to the lineup for LA in Game 5, dropping 22 points on 4-for-16 shooting. He saw no setback, and is not listed on the injury report for Game 6.

The Rockets and Lakers will tip off Game 6 at 8:30 p.m. CT from Toyota Center in Houston, TX.