Kevin Durant ruled out for Game 3 of Rockets-Lakers with left ankle sprain

The Houston Rockets missed Kevin Durant in Game 1 and got him back in Game 2. And now he’s out for Game 3.

Durant has been ruled out for Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers with a left ankle sprain, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. He had previously been considered questionable for a must-win game for the Rockets, who are currently down 2-0 in the first-round series.

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Minutes before Durant was ruled out, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka told reporters the veteran All-Star was a game-time decision.

This injury is different from the one that kept Durant out of Game 1, which was a knee contusion he sustained in practice before the series. Now it’s an ankle issue he sustained in Game 2 that has sidelined him despite reported around-the-clock treatment.

It’s been a rough series for the Rockets so far, both with and without Durant. They were a complete mess offensively in Game 1 and were only marginally better in Game 2. As a team, they are shooting 39% from the field (vs. the Lakers’ 52.9%) and 29% from 3-point range (vs. 48.9%).

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The Lakers are doing this despite arguably worse injuries than the Rockets, as Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves — their top two players by points per game — have both been out so far. That could change soon, as Reaves is reportedly pushing to play in Game 3.