The Rockets will be without Kevin Durant for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series vs. the Lakers on Sunday night. Durant is dealing with a bone bruise in his left sprained ankle, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Sunday afternoon.
This will be the third game of the series that Durant has missed because of injury. He didn’t play in Game 1 because of a right knee contusion, but returned to the court for Game 2. He played 41 minutes and put up 23 points, six rebounds and four assists. He injured his left ankle during Game 2, but didn’t leave the contest early. He was later ruled out for Game 3 because of the ankle sprain, and now it’s been determined that he has a bone bruise, too, which has caused “swelling, stiffness and lack of mobility in the ankle” Charania reported.
There’s a chance the Rockets could be eliminated on Sunday night as Houston is down 3–0 to the Lakers in the series. Without Durant on the floor, there’s a stronger possibility Los Angeles will sweep the Rockets and become the first playoff team to advance to the second round.
If the Rockets win on Sunday and continue winning, it’s unclear when Durant would be available to return to action. A bone bruise like the one he has typically takes two-to-three weeks to recover from during the regular season. But, Durant is receiving “around-the-clock treatment” since it’s the playoffs, so he could be back sooner if his team needs him.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rockets Share Kevin Durant Injury Status Ahead of Win-or-Go-Home Game 4 vs. Lakers.
