Overview
- Jarred Vanderbilt injured his right hand in the second quarter while trying to block Chet Holmgren, with his fingers striking the backboard.
- He left the floor in clear pain as trainers covered his hand, and the Lakers ruled him out for the rest of the game.
- NBC’s broadcast showed the play and called the injury “gruesome,” and Thunder players on the bench visibly reacted.
- The setback trims Los Angeles’ wing depth in a conference semifinal, where Vanderbilt’s defense and energy are key rotation pieces.
- Some reports wrongly said the Lakers were missing All-Star Luka Dončić, who plays for Dallas, while Austin Reaves had only recently returned from an oblique issue.