Injury Update: Jarred Vanderbilt
In a setback for the Los Angeles Lakers, forward Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a significant injury during their Western Conference semifinals opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which concluded with a score of 108-90. Reports from ESPN’s Shams Charania indicate that Vanderbilt fully dislocated his right pinkie while attempting to block a dunk by Thunder center Chet Holmgren.
The Incident
The injury occurred when Vanderbilt swiped at Holmgren, inadvertently striking his hand against the corner of the backboard as Holmgren completed the dunk, helping the Thunder extend their lead to 48-39 with just under six minutes remaining in the second quarter.
The scene was distressing, as Vanderbilt was seen doubled over in pain and crying out, prompting the Lakers to immediately call for a timeout. Observers noted that several Thunder players turned away from the traumatic sight. After the game, sources confirmed that Vanderbilt required stitches due to the severity of the injury, with his pinkie bone having broken the skin.
Reactions from the Team
Lakers assistant athletic trainer Octavio Marquez Montoya and head coach JJ Redick rushed to Vanderbilt’s side, who was positioned across the court. Redick expressed concern, stating:
“I had to go check on him because it just looked bad. He was audibly screaming; it was clear he was in serious discomfort. We’re all disappointed this happened—just a freak injury.”
Vanderbilt was unable to return after the timeout and was ruled out for the remainder of the game by halftime. Teammate LeBron James commented on Vanderbilt’s resilience, saying:
“He’s tough as nails. If Vando was in pain, then something really serious happened. It sucks for us.”
Post-Injury Outlook
Despite the painful incident, Vanderbilt remained at the arena after the game, sporting a bandage on his finger. Redick later shared that Vanderbilt was in good spirits, although understandably frustrated by the situation. In the Lakers’ playoff run against the Houston Rockets, Vanderbilt had averaged 3.6 points and 4.4 rebounds over 13.2 minutes per game. In this critical matchup against the Thunder, he contributed just two points and one rebound in six minutes before his injury took him out of play.
