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Kevin Durant Out for Game 6, Lakers Lead Series 3-2

5/1/2026

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Summary

Durant Misses Game6

Kevin Durant will miss Game 6 because a left-ankle bone bruise suffered in Game 2 on April 21, 2026 requires two weeks to heal.
He played Game 2, posting 23 points, six rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes, then missed five of six games.
The Lakers lead 3-2, with Game 6 on Friday at 6:30 p.m. PT in Houston’s Toyota Center and a Game 7 Sunday in Los Angeles, while Durant’s status remains unclear.

Summary

Rockets Force Game 6

The Rockets forced a Game 6 after trailing 0-3, first comeback since the Celtics erased a 3-0 deficit in 2023.
Coach Ime Udoka said every starter is 24 or younger and the squad has grown after turnover mistakes.
Oddsmakers list the Rockets as 3.5-point favorites (-180 moneyline) for Game 6 despite forward Kevin Durant’s absence.
The Lakers will have one day of rest between Games 5, 6 and a Game 7, worrying star LeBron James.

History

Historical Context

After the Cleveland Cavaliers erased a 3-1 deficit to defeat the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals—Cleveland’s first title in 52 years—the NBA has seen few similar turnarounds. In 2026, the Houston Rockets, led by coach Ime Udoka and missing Kevin Durant with an ankle injury, hope to replicate that comeback by rallying from a 0-3 playoff hole.

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Durant Misses Game6

Kevin Durant will miss Game 6 because a left-ankle bone bruise suffered in Game 2 on April 21, 2026 requires two weeks to heal.
He played Game 2, posting 23 points, six rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes, then missed five of six games.
The Lakers lead 3-2, with Game 6 on Friday at 6:30 p.m. PT in Houston’s Toyota Center and a Game 7 Sunday in Los Angeles, while Durant’s status remains unclear.

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