The Los Angeles Lakers have another opportunity to steal a game on the road as they head into Game 2 of their second round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even at full strength the Lakers need everyone locked in to take down the defending champions, but the team has had a couple of additions to the injury report since Game 1.
Superstar Luka Doncic remains out with his Grade 2 left hamstring strain and forward Jarred Vanderbilt is also out while guard Luke Kennard is available for Game 2.
Jarred Vanderbilt out
Vanderbilt left Game 1 in the second quarter after just six minutes of court time with a gruesome finger injury. The veteran forward suffered a full dislocation of his right pinky finger after it got caught on the backboard as he attempted to block a shot.
The bone actually broke the skin leading many on the Thunder bench to look away in horror as Vanderbilt screamed in pain and eventually walked off the court.
The fracture has since been put into place and Vanderbilt is wearing a splint on the finger. While he is out for Game 2 it is feasible that he could still return in this series with head coach JJ Redick listing him as day-to-day.
Luke Kennard available
The inclusion of Kennard to the injury report with neck soreness after Game 1 was a surprising one as he hasn’t been on the report during the playoffs at all this season. Thankfully for the Lakers he is good to go and the team needs him to return to his form from the beginning of the playoffs.
Kennard shot just 1-of-4 from the field in Game 1 and even though he has returned to his normal reserve role with Austin Reaves back in the starting lineup, the Lakers still greatly need his offense if they plan on making this series with the Thunder a competitive one.
Luka Doncic progressing, still not cleared for contact
The hope coming into the playoffs was that Doncic would be able to return if the Lakers were able to stretch their postseason run into the second round. But even though he continues to progress in his recovery from his left hamstring strain Doncic still seems a ways away from getting back on the court.
Doncic is running now, but still has yet to be cleared for full contact. Additionally, Doncic revealed that the initial timeline he was given to return was eight weeks, which would take him to the end of May. That would require the Lakers to advance to the Western Conference Finals to get their superstar back.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
