Houston Rockets: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Rockets open series vs. Lakers without star Kevin Durant (knee)

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant was ruled out for the playoff series opener against the host Los Angeles Lakers because of a right knee injury, coach Ime Udoka said before the game on Saturday.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Rockets v Lakers, 2026 Playoffs, Round One, Game One

Location: crypto.com arena, Los Angeles, CA TV:ABC Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español) Online: ABC/ESPN? Time: 7:30 PM CST Rockets: Reed

Philadelphia 76ers News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'Most NBA-debut points by NBA team' quiz

How many of the players to score the most points in their NBA debut for every franchise can you name in five minutes?

Houston Rockets News / Larry Brown Sports / April 18

Surprising news emerges about Kevin Durant’s injury

The Houston Rockets are suddenly dealing with an injury to Kevin Durant for the start of the NBA Playoffs. Durant will not play in Saturday’s Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals due to a knee injury, coach Ime Udoka revealed.

NBA News / Yardbarker

The 25 greatest playoff games in NBA history

In the NBA, it's all about showing up and showing out in the posteason. With that in mind, here are the 25 greatest NBA playoff games of all time.

Kevin Durant News / Hoops Rumors / April 18

Knee Injury To Sideline Kevin Durant For Game 1

Rockets star Kevin Durant will miss Saturday night’s series opener against the Lakers due to a right knee contusion, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).

Tari Eason News / Houston Rockets on SI / April 18

Who Must Still Prove Themselves For The Rockets?

The Houston Rockets have prepared to take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, but this postseason could have implications for the franchise moving forward.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / April 18

The Houston Rockets To Host Multiple Playoff Fan Engagement Experiences

Playoff game day has finally made it for NBA fans on Saturday with the start of the first round at 12 PM CT. The first game of the day has the Cleveland Cavaliers hosting the Toronto Raptors, and a total of four games will be played today, and four games tomorrow to wrap up the first weekend of playoff basketball.

NBA News / EssentiallySports / April 18

Shams Charania Drops Concerning Kevin Durant Update Ahead of Lakers-Rockets Playoff Game 1

41 vs 37. LeBron James and Kevin Durant turn back the clock in a playoff clash for the ages. It’s almost unreal to grasp what these icons have already achieved—but the show isn’t over yet.

LeBron James News / Yardbarker

The 25 defining moments of LeBron James' career

LeBron's career can't go on forever, can it? If it were to end tomorrow, it would be the greatest run of sustained excellence the league has ever seen.

NBA News / Houston Rockets on SI / April 18

Predictions for the Rockets and Lakers NBA Playoffs Series

The first round of the NBA Playoffs is about to be upon us, and there are plenty of interesting series to watch across the board. However, the Houston Rockets facing off against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference's four-five matchup has been one of the most talked about heading in.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / April 18

Rockets Will Need to Set the Tone Early vs. Lakers

The 2025-26 Houston Rockets had a relatively underwhelming regular season, at least in comparison to what was expected last offseason when the team acquired Kevin Durant.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'Stanley Cup Playoff hat-tricks' quiz

The 'Most NBA-debut points by NBA team' quiz

The 'Multiple 200 three-pointer seasons' quiz

The 'Most 25-PPG NBA seasons' quiz

NBA News / Total Pro Sports / April 18

Houston Rockets Drop Major Update on Kevin Durant Ahead of Game 1 vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Houston fans will be in the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, but there’s a chance they won’t be happy at all. The confident Rockets are set to travel to

Houston Rockets News / Larry Brown Sports / April 17

Rockets announce concerning injury update on Kevin Durant

The Houston Rockets may be down a superstar of their own to open their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron James to set another record at the start of Lakers' first-round series

Marcus Smart vows Lakers won't get punked by Rockets in playoffs

NBA stars under the most pressure to perform in playoffs

Five underrated NBA players who could swing the postseason

These NBA stars have the most to gain this postseason

NBA News / NBA on ClutchPoints / April 17

4 Rockets bold predictions vs. Lakers in 2026 NBA Playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers may be the higher No. 4 seed in their first-round series against the No. 5 Houston Rockets. However, they enter it as the firm underdogs, with 11 of 12 ESPN NBA experts backing Houston, and only two expecting the series to last seven games, per Yahoo Sports.

Alperen Sengun News / Fadeaway World / April 16

Alperen Sengun Says Rockets Expect Lakers Will Be More Aggressive Without Key Players

The Rockets are set to face the Lakers in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs. Alperen Sengun, the Rockets’ All-Star, spoke to the media before the series began and addressed the upcoming matchup.

NBA News / The Lead / April 16

What Does Rockets Reporter Lachard Binkley Think About Lakers-Rockets?

The Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets’ playoff series tips off this Saturday. Obviously, the Lakers will be without their top two scorers. The media has discussed how vital players like Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, and Rui Hachimura will be on the court.

Houston Rockets News / NBA on ClutchPoints / April 16

Rockets HC Ime Udoka gets 100% real about Alperen Sengun relationship

The Houston Rockets enter the postseason with momentum and clarity, as their internal dynamic between head coach Ime Udoka and All-Star center Alperen Sengun continues to define the team’s identity.