The Los Angeles Lakers opened their Western Conference semifinal series with a 108-90 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, falling behind 1-0.
Although Austin Reaves started his second game after nearly missing the full month of April, the Lakers keep waiting for the return of Luka Doncic, and were dealt another injury blow in Game 1.
Backup big man Jarred Vanderbilt exited early in the second quarter after attempting to block a shot at the rim, leaving Los Angeles without an important rotation piece in the frontcourt.
Vanderbilt finished the game with two points and one rebound in six minutes of play before being ruled out.
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
After the game, head coach JJ Redick addressed Vanderbilt’s status and the nature of the injury.
“I just talked to him,” Redick said. “He’s in as good of spirits as you can be in this situation, obviously frustrated with what happened.”
Vanderbilt suffered a full dislocation of his right pinky finger after making contact with the backboard while contesting Chet Holmgren's dunk. He immediately reacted in pain and was helped off the court before heading to the locker room.
“I went to go check on him because it looked bad,” Redick said. “He was audibly screaming and knew he had done something. We’re obviously disappointed that it happened. It’s just a freak injury.”
Doncic keeps rehabbing a left hamstring strain and is getting checked week-to-week, while Reaves has increased his workload but is struggling amid his postseason comeback, shooting 30.4 percent from the field and 11.8 percent from three.
Vanderbilt's absence, meanwhile, will add pressure to an already-thin frontcourt in which the injured big man was averaging 12.2 minutes per game.
Game 2 of the series between the Lakers and the Thunder is scheduled for Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
