With Kevin Durant out for Game 3, the Rockets will rely on Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun — the second-youngest starting lineup in NBA playoff history.
The Houston Rockets will have all their hands on deck against the Los Angeles Lakers for Game 3 of their first-round NBA Playoff series.
MIN:
36.47
PTS:
25.94 (61.14%)
REB:
5.46
AS:
4.76
ST:
0.81
BL:
0.91
TO:
3.23
GM:
79
As announced, Kevin Durant will not be joining the team for Friday’s game due to a left ankle sprain. The superstar forward, who missed the series’ opening match with a right knee bone bruise, sustained the ankle injury in Houston’s past Game 2 loss on Tuesday.
With Durant out, the Rockets have made a significant lineup adjustment in going up against the Lakers, starting Reed Sheppard to join Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, this would be the second-youngest starting five in any game of the NBA Playoffs, with an average age of 22.6 years old.
All have been drafted and landed by Houston throughout the past couple of NBA Drafts.
The late great Bill Walton and his title-winning 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers team still holds the record for the youngest playoff lineup in the modern era.
Right now, the Rockets can only hope that their youthful core can pull off and take the must-win Game 3 against the Lakers to keep their season alive.
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