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Is Kevin Durant playing tonight? NBA injury analyst's concerning update with Game 2 status uncertain
Kevin Durant hurt his knee in practice after a collision caused a patellar tendon bruise; experts warn it could worsen. KD's status for Game 2 is uncertain.
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One of the most eagerly awaited first-round games in the 2026 NBA Playoffs has just been flipped upside down by a practice-room collision.
Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant was ruled out of the Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers after a right knee contusion and his condition is still unclear and he might not play Game 2. Experts are saying that the 37-year-old may indeed have a much more serious problem.
NBA Injury Doctor Gives Update
Kevin Durant hurt his knee in a practice session when he collided knee to knee with a teammate where a deep bruise in the area of the patellar tendon — a place just above the kneecap that is very vital to mobility and range of motion.
In an X post, Dr. Evan Jeffries, a physical therapist and NBA injury analyst cautioned that contact directly with a tendon may progress beyond a bruise on the surface to acute tendonitis.
"Contact directly with the tendon can cause a bruise but it can also cause an acute tendonitis," he wrote. "This can cause pain, swelling, and lack of range of motion"
ESPN earlier reports that Durant is experiencing a deep bruise in his right patellar tendon and his status to play Game 2 is still not confirmed, although the Rockets show optimism that he will play but are not guaranteeing it.
Also Read: Why Joel Embiid is not playing vs Celtics today. 76ers give exact injury timeline
Game 1 fallout
Houston could not even hit 100 points against a Lakers team that was missing two of its own top scorers: Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The performance that cast serious doubt on their capability of competing in this series without their star forward.
According to Bleacher Report, the Rockets made only 38 percent of their field in the opener and no one scored more than 19 points with Los Angeles dominating the game with LeBron James and a surprisingly high 27-point performance by sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard.
Durant's injury record
Durant shares a history with lower body injuries, the most prominent of which was the ruptured Achilles tendon he sustained in the 2019 NBA finals when he was playing with the Golden State Warriors, an injury that cost him all of the subsequent season.
Despite all that, Durant has only missed four of the 82 regular season games of Houston this year, making his absence in the playoffs even more concerning to those in the franchise.
