Jake LaRavia is looking forward to challenge of guarding Kevin Durant

Job one for the Los Angeles Lakers during their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets will be to contain Kevin Durant. The future Hall of Fame continues to play at a superstar level despite being 37 years of age, and he averaged 26 points a game while shooting 52% from the field and 41.3% from 3-point range this season.

Obviously, containing Durant will take a team effort. But when Lakers forward Jake LaRavia is in the game, he will probably have to guard Durant, at least for stretches. It sounds like he's looking forward to that challenge, per Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation.

“I always take those challenges with pride and obviously guarded him in the matches that we've had previously,” LaRavia told reporters. “He's one of the greatest scorers ever, so it'll be very exciting for me to take that challenge."

LaRavia, whom the Lakers signed to a two-year, $12 million contract this past summer, had a frustrating regular season. His 3-point accuracy dropped from 42.3% last season to 32.1% this season, and there were times when it seemed as if he couldn't buy a made basket from downtown.

But he has consistently hustled on the boards and on the defensive end, and at the very least, he has been becoming an effective team defender who can muck things up for the opposition.

Los Angeles lost its first game this season against the Rockets, but it won its last two versus Durant and crew in March. In those two victories, Durant was held to 18 points apiece. The Lakers would gladly take that type of reduced production from the 16-time All-Star throughout this upcoming series.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Jake LaRavia is looking forward to challenge of guarding Kevin Durant