Rockets get crucial Kevin Durant injury update ahead of Game 4

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Rockets get crucial Kevin Durant injury update ahead of Game 4 vs. Lakers

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Apr 25, 2026 3:40 PM ET

The Houston Rockets' once-promising season is on the verge of coming to a disappointing end.

Despite facing the Los Angeles Lakers without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, they fell into a 0-3 hole after blowing a late-game lead and losing in overtime at home.

Clearly, they need Kevin Durant back on the court in the worst way, and they're leaving no stone unturned to make sure that's the case.

According to ESPN insider Vanessa Richardson, the Rockets are exhausting all avenues to get Durant back on the floor.

Kevin Durant is getting treatment around the clock

“Ime Udoka says Kevin Durant is receiving around-the-clock treatment for his ankle. Udoka says last night during the game, Durant was receiving treatment which included running on an underwater treadmill,” Richardson shared on X.

Ime Udoka says Kevin Durant is receiving around-the-clock treatment for his ankle. Udoka says last night during the game, Durant was receiving treatment which included running on an underwater treadmill.
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) April 25, 2026

Despite going through shootaround, Durant missed Game 1 with a knee injury.

He got back on the floor for Game 2 and dropped 23 points on 12 shots, but he missed Game 3, this time with an ankle ailment.

This is a brutal turn of events for the 37-year-old, who suited up for all but four games this season after years of struggling to stay on the court.

LeBron James is turning back the clock and leading a severely undermanned Lakers team to what might be one of the most surprising sweeps in recent NBA history.

And even though coming back from a 0-3 deficit with no homecourt advantage is challenging, the Rockets will clearly have much better chances with their future Hall of Famer and leading scorer on the floor.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

More must-reads: