Lost in the midst of the Los Angeles Lakers being down their entire starting lineup against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night was the fact that rookie Adou Thiero suited up for the first time since Dec. 30 as he dealt with a right MCL sprain.
Thiero would get some garbage time minutes in the blowout loss and acquitted himself well as he finished with three points and a block in just under 10 minutes. It was a long process for Thiero, who only recently took part in a stay-ready game before being cleared to suit up again, but the rookie was focused on just getting better throughout and now feels back to normal.
“Just going in every day and getting 1% better every day,” Thiero responded when asked about his rehab process. “Just trying to get the leg back right. It feels good and back to normal now.”
For a player like Thiero who relies on his speed and athleticism, making sure his knees are OK is crucial to his future success in the league. But with this injury he was forced to sit and watch, which while frustrating, was ultimately beneficial for him.
“I would say just sitting on the bench and having to watch a lot, just wanting to always play and it’s always a struggle to watch,” Thiero said. “But gaining a little bit of experience from everything, being able to learn from the guys that’s on the floor right now, that was very beneficial throughout this whole process.”
Even though it was a short time on the court, Thiero was able to provide a highlight as his lone bucket came on an alley-oop from Bronny James that he skied high to throw down while also being fouled. It was a moment that Thiero admitted felt good.
“It felt good, I would say. It always feels good to leave the game without a donut so that was a good feeling.”
And the feeling wasn’t new for the rookie as he had thrown down a couple big dunks during practices and those stay-ready games, leading up to Tuesday’s contest.
“Yeah, I’ve tested it out a couple times already,” Thiero added. “So today wasn’t no different than what’s been going on in those 5-v-5 games.”
The Lakers are in need of some quickness and athleticism on the perimeter and specifically on the defensive end and that is something Thiero can provide to this team. With him having missed so much time already in his first year, it could be difficult for him to crack JJ Redick’s rotation down the stretch of the season. But if he continues to improve, make an impact and, most importantly, stay healthy, he could get a chance to show what he can do.
Lakers’ Austin Reaves graces cover of SLAM Magazine
Someone else who also recently returned from injury is guard Austin Reaves, who was in the midst of a career year before succumbing to a calf injury. Even still, Reaves recently graced the cover of SLAM Magazine for the first time and discussed his basketball journey that has led him to this point.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
