Injuries have been half the story in the Rockets vs. Lakers first-round showdown. Kevin Durant missed Game 1 and is still officially questionable for Game 2 with a knee contusion. Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique strain) remain out for the Lakers.
The latest reporting is that Durant may try to play in Game 2 on Tuesday night, and it’s possible Austin Reaves could return by the end of the season.
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Officially, Durant remains questionable for Game 2, and he did not speak with reporters at the Rockets’ shootaround. However, Sam Amick of The Athletic reports there appears to be a good chance he is a go in Game 2.
Without Durant, the Rockets could not break 100 points in Game 1, and as a team they shot just 37.6%. That was just part of the Rockets problems in Game 1, a defense that allowed the shorthanded Lakers to shoot 60.6% on the night was the other.
LeBron James thrived in Game 1 as a playmaker, who could score when he had to, however the Lakers would look much better with another high level shot creator on the court. There is optimism that Austin Reaves might be able to fill that role by the end of the series, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
If the Lakers can take Game 2 at home on Tuesday — a game you can watch on NBC and Peacock — they will be much closer to extending their playoff run long enough for Reaves, and maybe Doncic, to return. However, Durant is going to have something to say about that.
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