Rockets' Kevin Durant, Lakers' Austin Reaves out for Game 3

ByDave McMenamin ESPN logo
Saturday, April 25, 2026 12:36AM
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HOUSTON -- Rockets forward Kevin Durant and Lakers guard Austin Reaves were downgraded from questionable to out before Friday's Game 3 of their teams' first-round playoff series.

Durant also missed Game 1 because of a bruised right knee. He returned for Game 2 on Tuesday and scored 23 points in 41 minutes of the 101-94 loss that gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Houston coach Ime Udoka said Durant has been dealing with swelling in his left ankle since tweaking it during a transition play midway through the fourth quarter of Game 2.

"We've seen the play and found out when it happened. Just played the remainder of the game and obviously adrenaline and was still loose," Udoka said. "But afterwards, swelled up, some tenderness and got worse over the next day or so."

Reaves, who has been sidelined because of a Grade 2 left oblique strain, warmed up on the court a little more than an hour before tipoff Friday but was ruled out shortly thereafter.

Durant, 37, ranked second in the league with 2,840 regular-season minutes.

Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.br/]

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