78 games! Rockets exhaust Durant! Latest injury report revealed.

What?

Old injuries not healed, new injuries added~

Durant missed Game 1 due to a right knee contusion, and despite a deep right knee patellar tendon contusion, he insisted on playing in Game 2.Now, he is questionable for Game 3 due to a left ankle sprain...

Currently, the Rockets trail the Lakers 0-2 in the series. If Durant cannot play or performs poorly due to injury, the Rockets are truly on the brink.

In the regular season this year, the 37-year-old Durant played 78 games, averaging 36.4 minutes per game with 26 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. It seems that being overly "hardworking" during the regular season may have led to his "shutdown" in the playoffs.

However, strangely enough, even though the Lakers hold the advantage, the well-known American media ESPN is very optimistic about the Rockets. The predicted win rates for Game 3 of both teams are as follows:

By the way, the Lakers have received a positive update.Reaves is questionable for Game 3, meaning he might return early from a left oblique abdominal muscle Grade 2 strain.Journalist Buha commented on this: Reaves is more likely to return in Game 4, and the Lakers prefer him to start from the bench.

In the past two playoff games, the Lakers' new starting backcourt duo has performed excellently. Kennard averaged 25 points, 5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, hitting 4 three-pointers per game at a 72.7% shooting rate; Smart averaged 20 points, 2 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 3 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game, hitting 3 three-pointers per game at a 50% shooting rate.

Therefore, the Lakers' current starting lineup has good chemistry, and there is no need to rush Reaves back. It's also unnecessary for him to immediately carry the team as before upon returning, as that could lead to counterproductive results.

Regarding the most concerning player, Luka Doncic, he is expected to be sidelined for the entire first round of the playoffs. He is still recovering from a left hamstring Grade 2 strain and has already begun light shooting training, with everything progressing positively.

Clearly, the Lakers are rising while the Rockets are declining. Perhaps the Purple and Gold can indeed start considering their opponent for the next playoff round.