The Lakers aren’t the only team beginning the playoffs with an injured star.
The Houston Rockets will be without Kevin Durant in Game 1 against the Lakers on Saturday, Houston coach Ime Udoka said, because of lingering soreness after Durant bumped knees in practice this week.
The fifth-seeded Rockets hope Durant’s injury will be a “one-game thing,” Udoka said, but the superstar is struggling with soreness and tenderness. Durant was questionable on the injury report because of a bruised right knee and warmed up on the court at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday but “didn’t feel good enough,” Udoka said.
The Lakers are without their own star power with Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) both out indefinitely. Doncic returned to the United States on Friday after receiving specialized treatment in Spain. Doncic had not yet reunited with his teammates when coach JJ Redick spoke before the game, but the Lakers looked forward to getting him back on the sideline.
“He’s in good spirits and we’re excited to see him today,” Redick said.
The Rockets expect to start guard Josh Okogie in Durant’s place along with Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun. Udoka expects that the pace will pick up without Durant on the court, especially with Sheppard and Thompson leading the offense.
“We do play faster with those guys,” Udoka said. “Amen obviously pushes the pace, but Reed’s a really good kick-ahead guy, and our wings get out and run, and off ball, obviously less isolation and post-ups for Kevin.”
The Lakers finished the regular season with three consecutive wins to hang on to home-court advantage in the first round. The Rockets won nine of their last 10 games.
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