Kevin Durant Injury: Slated to miss Game 6

Durant (ankle) isn't in line to play Friday in Game 6 of the Rockets' first-round playoff series versus the Lakers, Shams Charania reported Thursday in an appearance on ESPN's "Get Up."

Durant will be sidelined for the fifth time in six games of the series while he continues to contend with a left ankle sprain and bone bruise. According to Charania, the bone bruise is believed to be a "two-week minimum" injury for Durant, so the veteran forward may face an uphill battle to make it back on the court for a potential Game 7 on Sunday if the Rockets are able to extend the series with a win Friday. Durant's continued absence will raise the minutes floors for frontcourt mates Jabari Smith and Alperen Sengun, in addition to opening up extra run for Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason, who have both logged at least 29 minutes in each of the past three contests.