Durant's Game 4 availability uncertain! Udoka reveals ankle injury improvement: I thought he could play in Game 3

On April 26 Beijing time, Rockets head coach Udoka stated today that the injured team core Durant's condition has improved, but whether he can play in Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday remains undecided. The Rockets are currently on the brink of elimination. On the official Game 4 injury report, Durant is listed as questionable (50% chance to play).

Durant missed Game 3 due to a left ankle sprain. In the final 30 seconds of regulation in yesterday's game, the Rockets lost a 6-point lead and ultimately fell 108-112 after overtime, trailing 0-3 in the series.

Udoka said: "He is still receiving treatment round-the-clock. The soreness persists, but the ankle swelling has subsided quite a bit. Ultimately, whether he can play depends on his physical tolerance. We will evaluate him tomorrow morning and again before the game to determine his availability."

A reporter asked Udoka about the probability of Durant playing in Game 4, as the Rockets strive to avoid a sweep in this seven-game Western Conference first-round series.

He responded: "With each additional day of rest, the likelihood of playing increases. Based on pre-game warm-ups, I originally thought he could play in Game 3, but slow-paced training and actual game intensity are completely different. Increasing intensity right before the game is a significant gap. So currently, it's truly uncertain, but he is doing everything possible to try to return."

Durant was initially absent in Game 1 of the series due to a right knee contusion. He returned in Game 2, played 41 minutes and scored 23 points, but the team lost 94-101 to the Lakers. He unexpectedly sprained his ankle late in that game.

Durant's total regular-season playing time reached 2840 minutes, ranking second in the league. This high-intensity workload laid the groundwork for his injury issues in this playoffs.

The 37-year-old Durant joined the Rockets from the Suns in the offseason. This season is his first with Houston. Currently, his career total points rank fifth in NBA history.