Jarred Vanderbilt is considered questionable for Game 3 of the Lakers’ second-round series against the Thunder today, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets. Vanderbilt suffered a gruesome right finger dislocation during the first half of Game 1 while attempting to block a Chet Holmgren shot.
The veteran forward averaged 3.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game against Houston during the first round. Vanderbilt was benched during the decisive Game 6 after playing just six minutes in Game 5.
The Lakers used an eight-man rotation until garbage time in Game 2 with Luke Kennard, Jaxson Hayes and Jake LaRavia coming off the bench.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- One positive development in Game 2 was Austin Reaves‘ output. He shot just 3-for-16 from the field in Game 1; in Game 2, Reaves scored 31 points and added six assists. “That’s what we need Austin to be,” Kennard said, per Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times. “Even though he missed some shots last game, he was aggressive and he just got back into it. … I know a lot of people can think it’s easy to just come back and play a basketball game but at this level, what he’s done last series and now, it’s impressive. We need him to continue to be aggressive. He’s such a good teammate, easy to play with. It’s good to see him have a really good game and, hopefully gives him confidence going into the next one.”
- Kennard has been playing through neck soreness for several weeks, Khobi Price of the California Post tweets. He was on the injury report for Game 2 but wasn’t listed on Game’s 3 status report. He finished with 10 points in 26 minutes in Game 2.
- Forget about it, the season’s over, Los Angeles Times Bill Plaschke opines. The Thunder dominated the Lakers in the regular season and nothing has changed in the first two games. Without Luka Doncic, they had no chance to pull off a series upset, according to Plaschke, who concludes that Doncic shouldn’t even consider coming back from his hamstring injury at this point, as the series is a lost cause.
I expect the lakers to be getting many calls in their favor this game. OKC needs to know they will be calling ticky tack fouls in favor of Lakers so don’t get emotional and play through it.
OKC has the depth, Lakers do not. Lakers getting swept.
Paranoia! Conspiracies! Never any proof. No one on the inside has come forward to verify these silly false accusations. If any of this drivel was true some disaffected person on the inside would have spilled the beans.
CRICKETS. If it makes you feel better to make things up … well .. I bet my dad can beat up your dad.
What’s the conspiracy? It’s likely the Lakers will get more calls in their favor in game 3, especially with the way OKC plays defense. We’ll see how it plays out, but it’s not a stretch. Davey is also correct about the depth of both teams. OKC is deeper.
Lakers hate, lol.
How about some Dubs hate. Has anyone brought up how they got away with so many moving screens?! Bogut admitted it in one interview in the past…😆😆
well kowalski that would like saying the cavs got away with a title by holding Curry. Even Cavs admitted that their game plan was to hold Curry until the Refs called the fouls.
Come on meadowlark have you ever watched a NBA game before? Home team usually get home town calls. last time Lakers complained they got weeks worth of calls during the season. The game has not started so how many more free throws will the lakers get than OKC? 10, 20, 30, or even more. I say 16 more free throws. What about you??
1174 NBA games to date (yes, I have kept count) starting as 6 year old in Syracuse in 1955. Admittedly there was a 14 year gap between that first game and the next 1173, all of those occurring since the 69-70 season. I would agree with you that home teams get the benefit on calls, but the idea that anyone gets together and conspires to fix calls is silly and diminishes your normally calm and balanced comments. You’re FAR better than that. Really, you are.
Ooops! I missed the question. Apologies. If you’re giving me an over/under, I’ll go under. I’m sure you’ll agree that some of the difference in called fouls is attributable to style of play, and I’ll ask your opinion on which team is more aggressive, the more aggressive team typically getting more calls. Thanks to you, ARC, I have a reason to watch the game! Thanks. <<but even though I am an NBA season ticket holder, and have been for over 50 years, I must admit the Stanley Cup playoffs are more appealing to me. Still, I thank you for something interesting to focus on. <> :))
bad defensive teams get more calls against them. Of the OKC players its Dort that is over agressive on defense. He would be the one to watch if he gets called for a lot of fouls. LeBron rarely gets called for fouls. When he first came in teh leaguehe was a foul machione but Refs look away now just like on many all stars.
If the refs call the game evenly, the Lakers should shoot at least twice as many free throws as the Thunder, because of their constant fouling on defense.
But for some reason, the refs ignore that fact about OKC, so my guess is that it will be single digits, regardless of the Lakers’ post game 2 complaining.
The Lakers shot 25 FT’s to the Thunders 10. Still got blown out, but the OP’s point stood true.
OKC is just a deeper better team than the lakers. SGA is not getting to the FT line but OKC doesn’t need him. McCain was a great trade by them at the trade deadline.
@arc89
We will see – the refs almost always give OKC the ticky-tack foul calls and ignore most of the fouls on the other end.
That said, I expect the Lakers to get at least 1 win, so it could happen tonight.
Lakers never had any business going this far, especially without Luka. This is maybe the worst 9-man playoffs roster we have seen in years. Aside from Luka, Austin and Lebron, the entire roster is extremely mid or bad. Worst bench/depth in the playoffs by a long way.
Aside from Curry, Butler and Green the warriors sucked too. That’s the point of having a “big 3”.
^ Statistically wrong.
Warriors had 7 players with over 0.5 VORP
Lakers had 4 players with over 0.5 VORP
This Lakers team has made it really far despite having zero depth, but should have never been viewed as a serious contender, just a winner of big gambling rigging regular season games in their favor. Also, you are comparing a “53 win” team with a 37 win team, you are arguing the Lakers are actually a 38 win team when you do that, lol just admit defeat lil bro
I’m surprised you’re still commenting here after proving to everyone that “yOu DoNt KnOw BaLl”. Golden state was garbage despite all your trash talking and preseason hype.
Tell me who are these great warriors outside the big 3?
Your keyboard looks broken, friend. I’m surprised you are still reply-guying to me, when every single thing I have analyzed (different to being a cheering fan in the comments, which everyone has the right to pivot to) has been proven correct over and over on here. I know ball more than like 99% of posters, and the rest of them I know equal to the amount of ball knowledge.
Once again, I am talking pure stats, you are ignoring the stats because you are a lowly, butthurt Lakers homer rage-crying because you got your hopes up that your overachieving team actually had a shot at the Finals, when that was never happening, you were delusional all along but instead of admitting that, you typically double down on being wrong.
See the stats for yourself, sort by VORP:
link to basketball-reference.com
link to basketball-reference.com
>DiD yOu SeE tHe VoRp
I asked which players outside Curry, Butler and Green are even good on golden state?
I’ve been a Lakers fan since ’97. I still they they’ll be lucky to get 1 game. The Thunder are just a better team. I’m not even sure if a healthy Luka would do anything. Even if they somehow get past the Thunder, there’s no way they’d get by the Spurs.
Lakers: 4 players with more than 0.5 VORP
76ers: 4 players with more than 0.5 VORP
Warriors: 7 players with more than 0.5 VORP
Thunder: 10 players with more than 0.5 VORP
also Thunder: 9 players with more than 1.0 VORP
Spurs: 9 players with more than 1.0 VORP
Pistons: 10 players with more than 0.5 VORP
Knicks: 8 players with more than 0.5 VORP
Cavs: 9 players with more than 0.5 VORP
Wolves: 8 players with more than 0.5 VORP
Says it all, really.
OKC, Spurs, Pistons have the top 3 in depth this year. Lakers and 76ers had no business making it this far this year.
Haha, tell that to Boston and Houston.
Boston had 11 guys over 0.5 VORP
Houston had only 6 guys over 0.5 VORP
Boston choked, Houston was never good or a legit contender.
Did lebron say anything abt next yr?
Next 2 games might be his last
He’s 100% going to GSW and playing for not a lot of money in a ring chase season, which he might do a couple of being he is still kinda decent. Only team that can have him and it also makes sense on their end, as having a good SF/PF has always been the missing piece.
If you’re LeBron, why not go ring chase in the East? Easier to get to the finals, and then it’s just one series.
Eh, the playoffs are a total crapshoot decided entirely by health. The regular season is easier in the east due to more tanking/bad teams, but the playoffs are small samples, and those have massive variance where one injury can decide a series with.
The front office of the league knows its best to group as many of these all-timers on the same team to try and make that team get one more ring with all these oldies or legends on the downswing in the league. Curry is still #1 at the worldwide box office, and the Warriors are #1 most-valuable franchise by Forbes, so it’s in everyone’s best interests here. Also it would likely be very fun to watch even when they’re all old, Bron and Steph just both proved they can still both put their team on their back and win postseason games all by themselves basically, so the team would be great when out there. If they ran a Giannis Dray Lebron Kawhi Steph lineup out there, that is selling out every single arena (when it actually does play). Guys like Klay look like they could be bought out, GP2 is still hanging in there, plus GSW can keep a young core of Moody, Gui, Richard and Cryer, plus try and keep their 2027 pick, if the Bucks dont’ care about 100% needing both a 26+27 pick in any Giannis package.
Even if you think the Warriors are cooked right now, you gotta agree that they are in a good position to make a franchise-changing move this offseason that would in effect open the window back up again another 5+ years. Or they could only make incremental moves that allows them to keep their 26+27 picks. Aside from the Giannis move, they could still enact something like this “team unc” that the Clippers failed with this year (albeit they never looked good on paper). I think that’s going to be GSW’s move this offseason.
I’ll bite
How are you going to ( legally by the cba ) get Giannis Kawahi and Lebron a Warrior next year while keeping green and the young guys
I’d like the trade details and dollar amounts for the free agents signed
Not saying it can’t be done , it can , I’d just like your interpretation of how it happens
Kawhi is the least likely, it would require his contract being voided, and him signing for the minimum. I acknowledge this, however, that option IS on the table, and MIGHT happen. If that happens, then he is a simple free agent, and can sign anywhere for the vets minimum or whatever the league says he is allowed to sign for. The league might say “you can only play for $5M max”. Easy.
Lebron is also clean and easy, he can sign for the veteran minimum. Curry has talked about restructuring his deal to allow stars to join too. Lebron is already a billionaire, he doesn’t need to punch a huge salary, I can see him joining for less than $15M.
Giannis would require a package of Jimmy, Podz and 3-5 FRP, depending on what year draft they are. If its ’26+’27 picks then Bucks might only need 2-3 FRP and 1 SRP. Giannis would also need an extension, which is what Curry’s new deal will also take into consideration.
Ok that checks legally
Steph can’t lower his number for next year but the rest checks
LeBron will get more than $15 million from other teams. Giannis is going to teh Cavs if they get eliminated this round.
@arc89 do you not understand what “ring chasing” means? It means you dont take a max deal.
Even if Lebron is ring chasing he would sign with a team that has a much better chance at winning a championship than the warriors. Half the teams in the NBA has a better chance at winning than the warriors.
That’s such cap @arc.
You seem to be doing boring reactionary “whatever you say I will argue the opposite while not posting what I think will happen”. You are just arguing the opposite with no facts, while I provide facts. Its rather frustrating because its what Warriors haters do all day. You aren’t one of those, although this is what Gary does.
So what is your hope for the offseason? Instead of making up lies with no logic or facts behind it just to shout me down, just because I am saying it and you are trying to get my stalkers to upvote you. You always HATED the idea of GSW adding Giannis and said it would NEVER happen, but you were wrong because it almost did at the trade deadline. Really gross gary-hater-mindset you are showing here. Support your team, stop hating on them. They ARE getting Lebron no matter what you think. This is the RUMORS site, I never see you post any rumors or trade ideas for the Warriors and instead you argue ALL rumors are never going to happen. That’s boring.
Reality is the warriors are not a better team now than half the other NBA teams. In your world he wants a ring and view the warriors as the best option to win a ring. That is why it makes no sense at this time. Look at the team that finished the year. They were without 2 starters and will start next season with 2 starters out until at least AS break.
“Reality is the warriors are not a better team now than half the other NBA teams.”
Incorrect. Lakers and 76ers have much worse rosters and futures than the Warriors, and they are both still in the playoffs. Also we never saw full strength Warriors this year. We never saw Curry Moody Jimmy Dray Kristaps with Podz Gui Al Melton Richard GP2 off the bench. That lineup is cooking 90% of the league in a stew. Why are you acting like the playoffs, which are small samples with high degrees of variances, as being more important than the 82 season grind?
It’s all about depth. If GSW has a chance to acquire Lebron and Kawhi for not-much, all parties would agree that would make a team that was 1 win away from the playoffs much better. You think all old players are bad, that is untrue.
Lebron might be trying to play less because he is 900 years old. We are seeing now its all about who is healthy in the playoffs. GSW getting Jimmy Butler back for the playoffs makes GSW a brighter landing spot, not a worse one.
??? Both 76ers and lakers have a better team than the warriors. lakers have a lot of money to spend this off season where the warriors don’t. Warriors have no depth. You entire theories on warriors gettibng better is a hope and prayer. Hoping these players not caring about money and praying they sign with teh warriors. There are teams lining up for Giannis that can out bid the warriors and places that are more sure bets to win.
lmao you are crying so hard over this, bro WHY do you want the Warriors to be bad?? lmao you are posting exactly like gary now, that sucks man!
i want the warriors to rebuild. Use their draft pick for a young athletic player not trade it away for some old all star that will go down with an injury.
No one agrees that a trade for Giannis to GSW “almost happened at the trade deadline”. The Warriors wanted to but the Bucks declined.
I’m with arc – LeBron won’t take a low salary to join GSW, he likes LA.
the trade at the deadline was never close to happening. Bucks turned down the warriors offer wanting young prospects not Butler and they didn’t want kuminga in the trade offer.
Correct. The Bucks were hoping Giannis would decide to stay if they could improve the team, and if not, there would be more teams interested in obtaining him in the offseason.
“The league might say “you can only play for $5M max”. Easy.”
Ha ha – please post the verbiage in the CBA that would allow the league to limit Kawhi to an entirely arbitrary $5M, never mind the vet min.
100% going to g.s./ More drivel from the reigning KING (not James) of drivel who stated the Lakers would never rise higher than a play-in team.
Everyone knows that LeBron is not taking a deep pay cut to go to GSW. More likely he stays in LA.