The Houston Rockets are facing a pivotal Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers, and once again, they'll have to do it without their superstar. Kevin Durant has been ruled out for Friday's matchup due to a bone bruise in his left ankle, according to ESPN. This is a tough break for the Rockets, who have shown remarkable resilience by winning the last two games without him, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Durant's injury occurred late in Game 2, where he logged 41 minutes in a 101-94 loss. The bone bruise typically comes with a recovery timeline of at least two weeks, making a return in this series a long shot. Game 7, if necessary, would be on Sunday—just 12 days after the injury. For a player who turned 38 in September, this is frustrating timing, especially after one of his healthiest seasons. Durant played in 78 games this year, his most since 2018-19, and logged 2,840 minutes—his highest since his MVP-winning 2013-14 campaign.

The Rockets found themselves in a 3-0 hole after a disastrous Game 3, which head coach Ime Udoka called "horrendous" due to late-game errors. But a 99-93 win in Los Angeles on Wednesday breathed new life into the team. Now, they're trying to make history—no NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.

Offensively, Houston has clearly felt Durant's absence. In the 204 minutes without him during the series, the team scores just 108.1 points per 100 possessions—a mark worse than any regular-season team except the Brooklyn Nets. However, in Games 3 through 5, the Lakers have been even colder, scoring only 104.2 per 100. If that trend continues, the Rockets can grind out wins in ugly fashion. Still, as they chase history, they'd surely prefer to have one of the all-time greats on the floor.