Even in victory, the Los Angeles Lakers could not ignore the shadow of the one player who was not on the floor. Their Game 1 win over the Houston Rockets came without Kevin Durant, but nobody in that locker room was pretending the challenge would stay the same.

This series carries historic weight with LeBron James and Kevin Durant, two of the top five scorers in NBA history, on opposite sides. And that is exactly why, after the game, JJ Redick offered a blunt and refreshingly honest reality about trying to deal with one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen.

Despite the Lakers securing a 1-0 series lead, much of the post-game conversation centered on a player who didn’t even see the series opener. When asked about the defensive schemes his staff spent the week perfecting to neutralize the Rockets’ superstar, Redick cut the reporter off with a blunt reality check.

“Yeah, you’re not going to stop Kevin Durant,” Redick declared. That strong sense of self-awareness will probably serve the Lakers well. It also underscored Redick’s respect for a player who was just one draft class apart from him and a constant problem during his playing days.

Durant was a late scratch ahead of Game 1 after being ruled out with a knee contusion despite practicing all week. For the Lakers, that last-second development was not something to celebrate. It forced a sudden pivot after a full week of preparing specifically for him, all while already dealing with the absence of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on their own side.

Kevin Durant forced JJ Redick to alter his plans for the Lakers

Around the league, the immediate reaction was that Durant’s absence gave the Lakers a clear advantage. Redick acknowledged that reality, but he made it clear his team never approached the game any differently.

The adjustment required by the Lakers’ coaching staff was significant. Durant’s presence usually dictates every defensive rotation, but his absence meant the Lakers had to discard days of specialized work. Redick explained that the team met the moment by leaning into their core identity rather than worrying about the Rockets’ fluctuating lineup.

“I don’t think it affected our mentality. Again, this is all we’ve talked about for two months is just our playoff mentality. And you can’t worry about who’s in or out of the lineup. It’s our game plan. It’s our standards. It’s how we play. And we’ve built towards that. And I thought our guys just responded well and met the moment.” Redick said, further acknowledging what a difficulty Kevin Durant poses to his opponent. “There’s a lot that you have to do with Kevin and you just kind of scrap that and you move on to all the other stuff we worked on.”

Even without Durant on the floor, Redick emphasized that the Lakers stuck to their defensive identity. They held Houston under 100 points in a 107-98 win, showing that their preparation was not built around just one player.

As the series shifts to Game 2 on Tuesday, the Lakers remain shorthanded without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. That makes Redick’s “meet the moment” philosophy even more important if Durant returns to the lineup.

For now, Los Angeles has the lead. But Redick made one thing clear after Game 1. If and when Kevin Durant steps back on the court, everything about this series changes.