In a season where the Houston Rockets have swung between brilliance and mediocrity, the one constant has been Kevin Durant. With the team winning over 70% of games where he scores above his average, his status for tonight’s clash with the Cavaliers isn’t just a question, it’s the whole story.

The Rockets are currently sixth in the Western Conference with a decent 18-10 record. But their recent form has been nothing to write home about as they have only won three out of their last seven games. On the other hand, the Cleveland Cavaliers are also in a similar situation in the Eastern Conference. They are placed seventh with a 17-15 record. The Cavs are coming off a 125-127 defeat against the New York Knicks in their previous game.

Is Kevin Durant Playing Tonight against the Cavaliers?

Kevin Durant is available for Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is currently in great form, coming off fresh with a 25-point masterclass against the Lakers in the previous game. Durant has been guiding the young roster of the Rockets with his leadership and offensive prowess.

It was another classic Durant performance on a Christmas Day game. In 13 Christmas Day games across his NBA career, he has averaged 28.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 49.8 percent shooting and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The 37-year-old has been remarkable for the Rockets in his first season as he is averaging above 25 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 51.1% from the floor. He has now recorded 20-plus points in six straight games while finishing with those stats in 22 out of the 26 games this season.

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Cleveland Cavaliers vs Houston Rockets Injury Report

With Kevin Durant’s participation guaranteed, we will examine the injury reports of the two teams for Saturday’s showdown at the Toyota Center in Houston. Apart from Durant, the Rockets have a big headache about a certain player, while the Cavaliers also have a couple of absentees for this away game.

Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report

Ahead of their trip to Houston, the Cleveland Cavaliers fortunately have most of their starters available. However, forward Larry Nance Jr, who is a part of their rotation, is out of contention for this game after picking up a calf injury. He has been out since late November, and the Cavs haven’t provided any update on his return.

Similarly, Max Strus is also not available for this game against the Rockets. The guard underwent foot surgery in August, and since then, he has been out without a return timeline.

Houston Rockets Injury Report

Apart from Durant, the other star player for the Houston Rockets has to be Alperen Sengun, who is listed as ‘questionable’ for this game at home due to left calf tightness. The Turkish center was questionable for the Lakers game, but he turned up and recorded 14 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and one steal in 31 minutes in a great win. Therefore, there’s hope that he might just suit up again on Saturday.

Other than Sengun, Freddie VanVleet is the long-term absentee for Houston after he tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the ongoing season.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Houston Rockets predicted starting lineups

Based on the injury reports for both teams, here are the predicted starting lineups for Saturday’s game.

While the Cleveland Cavaliers have almost a full-strength roster, there are doubts over Sengun’s participation for the Rockets. If he doesn’t turn up, then it would be a massive miss for the hosts. Steven Adams and Clint Capela could share his minutes if he doesn’t play.

Both teams have a lot of talent in their roster and could capitalize on any mistake made by their counterparts. Which team will come out on top?