Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt Dislocates Pinky Finger
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a full dislocation of his right pinky finger during Game 1 of their series against the Thunder on Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charani tweets.
According to the California Post’s Khobi Price, Vanderbilt was injured during the first half attempting to block an alley-oop for Chet Holmgren. Vanderbilt’s right pinky hit the backboard as he swiped for the ball.
The 6-foot-8 forward immediately went to the ground in pain, holding his right hand near the Thunder bench. Some Oklahoma City players turned away when they saw Vanderbilt’s hand.
The loss of Vanderbilt would remove a frontcourt option for the underdog Lakers, who are already waiting for superstar Luka Doncic to return from his hamstring injury. Vanderbilt averaged 3.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game against Houston during the first round.
He was benched during the decisive Game 6 after playing just six minutes in Game 5. He appeared in 65 games during the regular season, averaging 4.4 points and 4.5 rebounds.
Oklahoma City went on to win the opener, 108-90. Once Vanderbilt came out in the first half, the Lakers essentially went with an eight-man rotation until garbage time.
Vanderbilt has two years remaining on his four-year, $48MM deal.
Lakers Notes: Doncic, Ayton, Smart, Kennard, LeBron
Although various reporters have provided updates on Luka Doncic‘s status as he recovers from a hamstring strain – including ESPN’s Shams Charania referring to him over the weekend as “week to week” – the Lakers haven’t offered many hints about when they expect the star guard back — or even if they think he’ll return at all before their season is over.
As Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops writes, head coach JJ Redick simply told reporters after Sunday’s practice that there’s “no update” on Doncic. On Monday, the Lakers formally ruled him out for Tuesday’s Game 1, while the Thunder did the same with injured forward Jalen Williams, who is dealing with a left hamstring injury of his own, per Cliff Brunt of The Associated Press.
In a roundtable discussing the series, Justin Martinez, Joe Mussatto, and Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman suggest that Williams – who suffered a Grade 1 strain compared to a Grade 2 strain for Doncic – is probably ahead of Luka in the recovery process. However, The Oklahoman’s trio also suggests that the Thunder don’t necessarily need Williams back to win this series, whereas it’s hard to imagine the Lakers having a legitimate shot if Doncic doesn’t play.
Still, Redick remains confident in his team, noting that its success down the stretch of the regular season and in the first round wasn’t about the contributions of a single player.
“I remember there was a press conference that we did after one of our games during our 16-2 stretch,” Redick said after the Lakers closed out Houston on Friday, per Benjamin Royer of the Southern California News Group. “And you guys were like really hammering home a point about a specific player. … I said, ‘The reason our team is winning is because of our team, because each guy is starring in his role and contributing to winning.’ And that’s the story of this playoff series for us, where each guy had moments that helped us win the game.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- If the Lakers are going to have a legitimate chance to upset the Thunder, they’ll need a huge series from former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton, the player who “changes our ceiling the most,” according to Redick. Ayton said his goal against the defending champions is to play “bigger” and to be “relentless on the glass,” writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times.
- Marcus Smart is another key contributor for Los Angeles, and he and Ayton have been linked together all season after accepting buyouts and then joining the Lakers on discounted deals that feature second-year player option, notes Dan Woike of The Athletic. “We’re both trying to get our names back into the good graces of the basketball gods and just show what we still can do,” Smart said of himself and Ayton.
- Melissa Rohlin of the California Post identifies Luke Kennard as the Lakers’ X-factor in the second round, arguing that the sharpshooter needs to be less deferential and look to recapture his shooting touch after scoring just 11 points on 4-of-18 shooting in the final three games of the first round. Kennard is on an expiring contract, so a strong performance vs. the Thunder could help earn him a stronger payday in free agency.
- In an interesting story for ESPN.com, Dave McMenamin shares several highlights from an ongoing conversation he maintained with Lakers star LeBron James in eight cities across the entire 2025/26 season. The wide-ranging discussion includes McMenamin doing his best to get James’ thoughts on how he stacks up to Michael Jordan. “I never have compared myself to MJ because our games are totally different,” LeBron said. “I have been a point-forward/forward-point my whole life. I have always looked for the pass. MJ kind of looked for the shot. Not kind of, he did. He looked for the shot. There are a lot of things where I would say my game is a lot different and a little better than his, but s–t, he was f—ing great. We’re both great. We’re both great basketball players.”
Charania’s Latest: Edwards, Doncic, Adelman, Nuggets
While Anthony Edwards will be sidelined to open the Timberwolves‘ second-round matchup vs. San Antonio, there’s optimism he could return to action as early as Game 3 or 4, league sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (YouTube link; story via ESPN’s Anthony Slater).
Edwards released a video on his YouTube channel about his recovery progress from the left knee injury he suffered in the second quarter of Game 4 against Denver. He hyperextended his knee at the time, causing a bone bruise, and he had already been battling patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee) in his opposite leg.
According to Charania, Minnesota will take a cautious approach to Edwards’ bone bruise, but he has historically healed quickly and is working diligently to come back. The four-time All-Star has done light on-court work the past two days, Slater writes.
Timberwolves VP of medical operations and performance David Hines said in the video that Edwards’ return timeline is one-to-two weeks, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (Twitter link). Game 3 will be played on Friday, with Game 4 scheduled for next Sunday.
Here’s more from Charania:
- Lakers superstar Luka Doncic appears unlikely to be active in the near future with Los Angeles set to face Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals. The Slovenian guard, who is recovering from a left hamstring strain, is considered week-to-week, according to Charania. Although Doncic has been doing more on-court activities in recent days, a source tells Charania he hasn’t done any “full-fledged running or full-contact workouts” to this point.
- Confirming recent reporting from The Denver Post, Charania says Nuggets head coach David Adelman “is going to be back” for a second full season in Denver. “His job is safe,” Charania added.
- Charania reiterates that Nikola Jokic is expected to sign a maximum-salary contract to remain with the Nuggets. However, the rest of Denver’s roster could look much different in 2026/27. “There is going to be real roster changes coming to Denver to identify how they can surround Nikola Jokic with the right pieces to get this team over the top,” Charania reported. “… They’re going to get calls and listen to calls on everyone on the roster besides Nikola Jokic.”
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Ayton, Doncic, Reaves
As the Lakers celebrated their first-round win over Houston Friday night, LeBron James took time to savor the moment, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. At age 41, he was the most dominant player in the series, capping it off with 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the closeout victory. With the next step in his career still uncertain, James reflected on the significance of his latest playoff triumph.
“I think me personally, the accepting and trying to be OK with the small victories comes with where I am in my career,” he said. “Understanding, s–t, who knows how many more playoff series I’m going to be a part of? If I play one more or two more or three more seasons, that doesn’t guarantee me to be in the postseason. So just trying to appreciate the moments, whatever it is, and however long I’m playing. It’s pretty cool to have the opportunity to lead a team, at 41 years old, into the playoffs and for us to be able to win it.”
McMenamin notes that James became the oldest player in league history to be the top scorer in a playoff series, totaling 139 points in the six games. He was asked to carry the offensive load after Luka Doncic (strained left hamstring) and Austin Reaves (left oblique strain) both suffered serious injuries in an April 2 game. James had become more of a complementary piece in L.A.’s offense until then, but he flipped the switch back into the lead role when it became necessary.
“I mean, to be able to experience something [new], it was just totally different for me,” James said. “In March, it was a totally different role for me. It was super uncomfortable, but comfortable. I had to get into that. But it was also winning. That’s all I care about. But I knew at the same time I could give more. But maybe giving more wasn’t what was a fit for our team. And I accepted that and I was OK with that. Not from a team aspect, I was OK with that. I was able to put my ego to the side for the betterment of the team, understanding that I could do it.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- The series validated the decision to bring in Deandre Ayton after he reached a buyout with Portland last summer, McMenamin adds. Ayton aired complaints in late February about his limited role in the offense, but he seemed to accept how he was being used as the playoffs neared. The Lakers isolated him in one-on-one coverage Friday night to limit Alperen Sengun‘s passing, and he held the Houston center to one assist. “I took the challenge to my chin,” Ayton said. “Just putting the team on my back and them trusting me. … That’s what really got everything going, to be honest.”
- Doncic is “not close” to returning for the second-round series against Oklahoma City, which starts on Tuesday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said in a SportsCenter appearance (YouTube link). Windhorst notes that there’s a progression involved in returning from a hamstring injury, and Doncic hasn’t been able to play at all over the past month. “I have no idea how Luka’s going to be 14 days from now,” Windhorst added. “Most likely, you’re not going to see Luka Doncic at the front end of this series, maybe at least for another week to 10 days on the minimum.”
- After Friday’s victory, Reaves talked about how he was able to return in time for the final two games of the series, per Khobi Price of The California Post (Twitter video link). “A lot of treatment. A lot of treatment,” Reaves said. “I did not go with Luka to Europe. I will say that.”
- The Athletic previews the Lakers’ next series and assesses their chances of upsetting the defending champions.
Austin Reaves Cleared To Play In Game 5
The Lakers will have Austin Reaves back in the lineup on Wednesday as they try to close out their first-round series against Houston, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Reaves received medical clearance to play in the Game 5 matchup after going through pregame warmups.
There have been indications over the past few days that Reaves was close to returning from the Grade 2 left oblique strain that has kept him out of action since April 2. He was listed as questionable for Games 3 and 4 before being eventually downgraded to out. He was a game-time decision again tonight and was able to convince the medical staff that he’s ready to go.
“From the start, it’s been a group effort,” Reaves told reporters, including Mark Medina of Essentially Sports. “The main thing is getting me back out there as fast as possible without putting me at risk to re-injure myself. Everyone has been extremely positive through this whole process. We’re all working toward one goal.”
Reaves expressed optimism following a light shooting workout on Tuesday, saying that he’s feeling good and “turning in the right direction.” He also admitted, “I’m bad at feeling pain,” and noted that team doctors and trainers are closely evaluating the risk of further structural damage.
The Lakers also lost Luka Doncic in the April 2 contest with a left hamstring strain, and both players missed the final five games of the regular season, along with the entirety of the playoffs up to this point. Coach JJ Redick reiterated on Tuesday that Doncic isn’t expected to return during the first round, while ESPN’s Shams Charania said during a TV appearance on Wednesday that the All-Star guard also likely won’t be ready for the start of the second round if the Lakers advance (Twitter video link).
Reaves and Doncic have been heavily involved on the bench since their injuries, providing advice and encouragement to teammates as they try to survive without their top two scorers, Medina adds. Even so, Reaves admits being “super frustrated” while waiting for his oblique to heal.
“I’ve been pretty miserable of not having somewhat of a control on a game,” he said. “Just sitting over there not with no hope in the game, but no hope that I can affect the game. Obviously, I can talk and try to lead from being over there. But not really being on a court. It sucks.”
Lakers-Rockets Notes: LeBron, Ayton, Reaves, Durant, Doncic, Sengun
The Lakers had a chance on Sunday night to become the first team to wrap up a playoff series, but the Rockets avoided a sweep with a 115-96 win on their home court. The game featured an uncharacteristically bad performance from LeBron James, who finished with eight turnovers and 10 points while shooting 2-of-9 from the field, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James took responsibility for the loss, telling reporters, “It started with me, obviously. My turnovers were unacceptable.”
L.A. lost starting center Deandre Ayton when he was assessed a flagrant foul 2 for hitting Alperen Sengun in the side of the head with his forearm with 5:41 left in the third quarter. It was originally ruled a common foul before being upgraded following a video review, and McMenamin notes that players from both teams disagreed with the decision.
“We both are sweaty guys,” Ayton explained. “[My arm] just slipped off his shoulder. … I’m not no guy who is a dirty player or who plays like that.”
“I don’t want to make the officials crazy, but I mean, I didn’t expect them to eject him to be honest,” Sengun said. “I think it was a little bit soft. … I guess it is what it is, they called it. I’m glad they called it. So, we go from there.”
The game became heated from there with five more technicals being called – three on the Lakers’ Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber and Adou Thiero and two on the Rockets’ Josh Okogie and Aaron Holiday. Thiero and Holiday were both ejected with 1:11 left to play for an ongoing verbal exchange. The trash talk continued after the final buzzer, with several Lakers telling McMenamin that Rockets wing Jae’Sean Tate taunted them and challenged Kleber to a fight.
There’s more on the series:
- Game 5 is set for Wednesday night, and the series could be determined by which stars are able to return. L.A.’s Austin Reaves was listed as questionable for the second straight game while recovering from a Grade 2 left oblique strain, McMenamin adds, but wasn’t used on Sunday. Houston’s Kevin Durant missed his third game of the series, and the second with a bone bruise in his sprained left ankle. Coach Ime Udoka said there’s still a chance that Durant could return at some point in the series, per Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- In a pregame session with reporters, Lakers coach JJ Redick said Luka Doncic is still in the early stages of working his way back from a left hamstring strain, relays Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “He just continues to do some stuff on the court,” Redick said. “He was able to move today a little bit on the court. Most of the stuff has been standstill. He’s progressing. No update on any timeline or anything like that.”
- With the Rockets in a 3-0 hole, Sengun provided some inspiration with a fiery speech during a players-only talk during Sunday morning’s shootaround, Matt Young of The Houston Chronicle states in a subscriber-only story. Sengun relied on an interpreter when he came to the NBA from Turkey five years ago, but he has become confident in his English skills. “It’s hard, man. It’s hard to talk another language, but I try every day. I don’t give a … if you know what I’m saying,” he said. “At the end of the day, they understand me and I’m happy with that.”
Lakers Notes: Ayton, Doncic, Smart, Redick, Reaves
Lakers center Deandre Ayton scored just six points in Tuesday’s win over Houston and wasn’t part of the team’s closing lineup in the fourth quarter. However, Ayton was upbeat when he spoke to the media on Thursday and head coach JJ Redick has raved about the work the big man is doing that doesn’t necessarily show up on the stat sheets, writes Dan Woike of The Athletic. That includes setting screens, switching on defense, and boxing out on rebounds.
“We love giving DA praise,” Redick said. “We love to give him — I mean, when he does what we ask him to do, he should get all the praise in the world. Again, he’s the former No. 1 pick, and he’s doing a lot of thankless work at times, so we always praise him for that.”
According to Redick, the decision to sit Ayton for the final five minutes of the Lakers’ Game 2 victory was less about anything he did wrong and more about how well backup center Jaxson Hayes was playing down the stretch.
“(Ayton’s) been a big key in both these games. Defensively, I thought (he) was really good in the second half of Game 2 and had played a ton down the stretch — or to start the fourth, he had had a really long run,” the Lakers’ coach said. “And that was during a stretch where there wasn’t a lot of dead balls. I told him I was going to get him out real quick, get him back in, and then Jaxson just played great.
“DA and I had a conversation today, like, ‘You didn’t do anything wrong, it’s not the reason you didn’t finish the game.’ It was just a group out there was winning, and Jaxson was doing a great job. But we can’t win at the level we want to win without those two guys playing great.”
Here are a few more notes on the Lakers:
- Although Luka Doncic was deemed award-eligible after coming up just short of the 65-game criteria, the Lakers star wasn’t among the finalists for this season’s Most Valuable Player award, meaning he didn’t finish in the top three in voting. Speaking before Game 2 (YouTube link), Redick said he was “disappointed” by that outcome and chalked it up to other candidates having more “media momentum” down the stretch. “I think he deserved to be there,” Redick said, “(but) I think all three guys that did end up being the finalists had a strong case.”
- The Lakers were taking a bit of a gamble when they signed Marcus Smart last summer after the guard had been limited to 54 regular season appearances across the previous two seasons due to injuries, but he has rewarded their faith in him, writes Melissa Rohlin of The California Post. “It’s easy to write somebody off as being older or not being as good,” Redick said. “But all of the analytics defensively, the analytics as a secondary play-maker, they were all really favorable. So, we felt really comfortable bringing him on board.” For his part, Smart is appreciate of the opportunity to be starring in the postseason again, telling Rohlin that the chance to “go out here and redeem myself is the best feeling you can have.”
- The Lakers look like the better-coached team through the first two games of their first-round series, according to Mirjam Swanson of The Los Angeles Times, who suggests that Redick is making a strong case that he’s the right coach for the playoffs.
- In case you missed it, guard Austin Reaves – out since April 2 with a strained oblique – is listed as questionable for Game 3 on Friday. “My understanding is Austin Reaves is trying to play in Game 3 tonight,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said on NBA Today on Friday (Twitter video link). “If not Game 3, then Game 4.”
Pacific Notes: Suns, Smart, Reaves, Doncic, Lakers
The Suns have ruled Mark Williams out for Game 2 against the Thunder on Wednesday, Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic notes (via Twitter), adding that the big man is still in a walking boot.
Williams, who was previously considered questionable, is still experiencing soreness related to a left foot third metatarsal stress reaction that kept him on the shelf for 15 straight games in March. He returned for four contests in early April before being sidelined again.
Jordan Goodwin has also been ruled out while Grayson Allen has been upgraded to available after both warmed up with the intention to play, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports (Twitter link). Head coach Jordan Ott acknowledged earlier in the day that Allen was the most ready to return of the trio, having been a full participant in shootaround and shown the ability to sprint at full speed.
Goodwin missed the second half of Game 1 as he continues to fight through a calf injury that has limited him since February. Allen is dealing with a hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined since April 10.
We have more from around the Pacific Division:
- Marcus Smart was tasked with taking the Kevin Durant matchup for the Lakers in Game 2’s win over the Rockets and he delivered, Dave McMenamin writes for ESPN. Durant made 1-for-3 shots and committed three turnovers when guarded by Smart. The former Defensive Player of the Year served as the team’s tone-setter, according to Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times, scoring 25 points and adding seven assists along to go with his five steals.
- The Lakers are weathering their first-round series without their two top scorers, but they are encouraged by the progress Austin Reaves (oblique) and Luka Doncic (hamstring) have made, Khobi Price writes for the California Post. Reaves has already begun his return-to-play protocols, while coach JJ Redick says that Doncic will be following suit soon. There is still no exact timeline for either player to be reactivated.
- Through two games, Smart has joined LeBron James and Luke Kennard to form an unexpected “big three” for the Lakers, Broderick Turner writes for the Los Angeles Times. The trio combined for 76 points and 16 assists in the club’s Game 2 victory, led by James’ 28-point, eight-rebound, seven-assist performance. “When you’ve got two big guns out like we have, we all got to pick up our play,” the four-time MVP said. “And that’s all it’s about. We’re all just trying to contribute, make contributions in all facets of the game, pick up our play. Obviously, we’re missing Luka and missing AR, so we’re just trying to seize the opportunity. That’s all.”
Latest On Lakers’ Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic
Austin Reaves (left oblique strain) will remain on the inactive list for Game 2 of the Lakers‘ first-round series against Houston on Tuesday night, but there’s still a chance that he’ll be able to suit up later in the series, ESPN’s Shams Charania said during an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link).
“The sense around the Lakers is that Austin Reaves is actually the one that’s further along than Luka Doncic in their respective rehab processes,” Charania said. “I am told Austin Reaves has started one-on-one on-court work. The next step for him is to continue to go through the progressions of three-on-three, five-on-five.
“Remember, early April, he had a four-to-six week timetable. So theoretically that puts him on track (to return) late in this series (or) potentially early in the next series.”
The prognosis isn’t quite as positive for Doncic, who is dealing with a left hamstring strain. According to Charania, the Lakers aren’t expecting the perennial MVP candidate to return to action during the first round.
A recovery timeline for Doncic was never specified, but he has dealt with some left hamstring issues in the past and suffered a Grade 2 strain this time around, so the Lakers will be careful not to rush him back before he’s ready. His injury typically requires a recovery period of at least four weeks — and sometimes more than that.
The Lakers’ ability to extend or win the series without their two star guards is an open question, but the team took care of business at home in Game 1 on Saturday, registering a 107-98 win as Luke Kennard led the way with a team-high 27 points.
LeBron James (13 assists) and Marcus Smart (eight assists) took on additional play-making duties in Game 1 for the Lakers, who benefited from the fact that Kevin Durant was sidelined with an injury of his own. Durant is listed as questionable to play in Game 2 on Tuesday and doesn’t seem likely to be at 100% if he suits up.
Lakers Notes: Doncic, Kennard, Game 2, Hayes
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves remain out for the Lakers‘ Game 2 matchup against the Rockets on Tuesday, The Athletic’s Dan Woike notes (via Twitter). This was expected as the star backcourt continues to work its way back from a left hamstring strain and left oblique muscle strain, respectively.
While Doncic hasn’t been able to suit up in the playoffs, he has been a valuable presence on the bench, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
“I think people don’t know how much impact Luka has, not only on the court, but off the court,” teammate Rui Hachimura said. “He’s a guy that always wants to be around. … We love him just being around, just hanging out, talking. So, yeah, we’re happy that he’s back finally and he’s doing funny things always. … We missed him for sure.”
Turner writes that Doncic was active on the sideline during Game 1, providing both feedback and encouragement to his teammates. He remains without a firm timeline for return.
We have more from the Lakers:
- Lakers’ coach JJ Redick has loved what he’s seen from Luke Kennard, the hero of Game 1. One of his challenges for the elite shooter was sacrificing some efficiency for volume, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin notes (Twitter video link). “One of the things messaging-wise was, ‘You shooting six or seven threes a game at 38% for the series is better than you shooting three a game at 45%,‘” Redick said. “It’s unlikely he’ll go five-for-five every game, but I loved his level of aggression.” Teammate Jaxson Hayes says Kennard’s outburst came as no surprise. “I used to grow up watching him drop 40, 50 a game in high school,” Hayes said, per McMenamin (Twitter video link). “I’ve known he’s been able to do all that. I watched him do it.”
- Redick knows the Rockets will come out with desperation in Game 2 and is determined to have his Lakers match the energy they played with in Game 1, Benjamin Royer writes for the Orange County Register. “Every day requires something different,” he said. “Yesterday required an elevated recovery day. Today required an elevated focus. It was a longer film session. A decent amount of teach, talk on the court beyond just the practice session. Tomorrow is going to require an elevated sense of desperation on our part because they’re going to come in with that.”
- Hayes has been granted a Slovenian passport, per Michael J. Duarte of The California Post (Twitter video link), allowing him to play with Doncic during international play as the Slovenian team’s designated naturalized player. Hayes says that Doncic has been calling him “my Slovenian brother” since the paperwork came through.