Two key rotation players will be sidelined for Friday’s Game 3 in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Rockets forward Kevin Durant and Lakers guard Austin Reaves were both downgraded from questionable to out ahead of Game 3 of their teams’ first-round playoff series.
Status change before Game 3
Durant and Reaves had been listed as questionable, but each was ruled out before Friday’s contest. Their absences remove major pieces from each team’s lineup as the series continues.
Playoff context
Game 3 marks a pivotal point in a first-round matchup, with both teams adjusting rotations and responsibilities as the series progresses. With Durant unavailable for Houston and Reaves sidelined for Los Angeles, both clubs will need to redistribute minutes and production on both ends of the floor.