Rockets rule out Kevin Durant in big Game 5 injury decision vs. Lakers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Being down 3-1 in the NBA Playoffs usually means emptying out every weapon in a team's arsenal. The Houston Rockets will not be risking the health of Kevin Durant for the luxury of that decision. Coach Ime Udoka and Alperen Sengun will have to lead their squad in Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers without the veteran superstar.

Kevin Durant has officially been ruled out in for Game 5 between the Rockets and Lakers, per Adam Wexler of Sports Talk 790. The Rockets superstar has been suffering a left ankle sprain. Coach Ime Udoka has also decided to not play his veteran superstar against the Lakers in the past two games. So, the Rockets will have to rely on Alperen Sengun to generate more offense just again.

Notably, Durant has only played a single game in the NBA Playoffs so far. He scored 23 points on 58.3% field goal shooting and had a lackluster 25% shot from three-point range. Defensively, Durant was also doing well to help the Rockets. He grabbed six rebounds while logging a block and a steal.

In his absence, Tari Eason has been the ace that the Rockets needed to get back into this NBA Playoffs series against the Lakers. He put up 20 points, eight rebounds, and five rebounds in Game 4. Eason joined Chris Paul and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only three Rockets players to have ever recorded those numbers in the NBA Playoffs.

The Rockets are yet again in a win-or-go-home situation against the Lakers. Without Durant, can Sengun, Eason, and Coach Udoka recapture the magic to show some more signs of life in the NBA Playoffs?