Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant is set to return for Game 2 against the Los Angeles Lakers after sitting out the series opener due to a knee injury. Coach Ime Udoka confirmed Durant passed warmup tests and has no minutes limit, as the Rockets trail 1-0 following a 107-98 loss in Game 1.
After missing Game 1—ruled out less than two hours before tipoff despite clear imaging—Durant tested his knee in pre-Game 2 warmups and was fully cleared, Udoka announced Tuesday. The coach noted the team had prepared without him, unsurprised by his Game 1 status given limited movement in recent days.
In his first season with Houston post-trade from Phoenix, the 37-year-old Durant played all but four regular-season games, logging 2,840 minutes—his most in 12 years. The Rockets went 4-0 without him during the regular season.
Game 2 marks Durant's first playoff matchup against LeBron James since the 2018 NBA Finals, where he holds a 9-5 head-to-head edge. The Lakers, also missing Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), host at Crypto.com Arena.
