{"id":713956,"date":"2026-04-19T14:09:55","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T14:09:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/713956\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T14:09:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T14:09:55","slug":"kevin-durant-frustrated-after-being-ruled-out-of-game-1-vs-lakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/713956\/","title":{"rendered":"Kevin Durant frustrated after being ruled out of Game 1 vs. Lakers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kevin Durant was reportedly visibly frustrated after being ruled out of Game 1 with a knee injury, as observers noted he was struggling to accept having to sit out the playoff opener, which the Rockets eventually lost to the Lakers, 107-98.<\/p>\n

Houston Rockets<\/a> superstar Kevin Durant<\/a> was reportedly frustrated after being ruled out for Game 1 with a knee injury, according to The Athletic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\t\tKevin Durant<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Kevin<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\"Kevin<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tMIN:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t36.41<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tPTS:
\n\t\t\t\t\t25.97 (61.02%)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tREB:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5.45<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tAS:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t4.77<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tST:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t0.81<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tBL:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t0.91<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tTO:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t3.15<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tGM:
\n\t\t\t\t\t78<\/p>\n

“According to several people who watched his routine, his frustration with the brutally-timed situation was impossible to miss.<\/p>\n

“Durant, who played in 78 games during the regular season and has long had a reputation for being willing to play through a fair amount of pain, was clearly coming to grips with the fact that he’d have to sit this playoff opener out.<\/p>\n

“After banging knees with a teammate during practice on Wednesday, then surely hoping the injury wouldn’t linger too long, observers said he was not moving well during the session. He was ruled out soon thereafter.”<\/p>\n

Without Durant, the Rockets fell 107-98<\/a> in Game 1 at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Credit Getty Images via AFP – Scanpix<\/p>\n

“I mean, I don’t think it was a surprise to us,” head coach Ime Udoka said about Durant’s late scratch post-game. “We knew he got banged up, and we looked at a bunch of different things without him. If he could go, he could go, but it looked doubtful, you know, based on how he was moving the last few days.<\/p>\n

“And so, we prepped for it. Different lineups without him and alternate starting lineups if he wasn’t available. And so, late to everybody publicly, but we knew it might be a good chance he was out.<\/p>\n

“But regardless of whether he’s back or not, if we shoot that poorly, it’s gonna be tough to win.”<\/p>\n

Durant, the fifth-leading scorer in NBA history, averaged 26.0 points per game in his first season with Houston.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Lakers are also dealing with key absences. NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic (hamstring strain) and guard Austin Reaves (oblique strain) have both been sidelined since April 2 and remain out indefinitely.<\/p>\n

Game 2 is set for Tuesday night in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

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