While losing Game 1 against the Thunder was tough for the Lakers, winning Game 2 won’t get much easier.
The team released its injury report ahead of their next contest, listing Jarred Vanderbilt as doubtful and Luke Kennard as questionable.
For Vando, not being automatically ruled out is actually good news.
He suffered a gruesome injury in Game 1 when he dislocated his pinky finger on a failed block attempt. This wasn’t a typical dislocation as his bone poked through the skin, causing the forward to scream in agony while the Thunder bench looked away in shock.
Vando was out for the rest of the contest.
However, during Wednesday’s practice, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that Vando was considered day-to-day.
The Lakers’ medical staff deserves a ton of credit for treating Vando quickly and getting him into a situation where he is not automatically ruled out.
The surprise from this injury report, though, is the inclusion of Kennard.
He is a key rotational player for the Lakers, and this is the first time we are hearing about neck discomfort for the guard. The Lakers need all the help they can get to beat the defending champs. If he can’t play, that is a huge blow.
Kennard is questionable, so we’ll have to wait until closer to game time to see if he’s upgraded to available.
Luka Dončić remains out, but he spoke with the media and provided an update on his health.
Unfortunately, it’s not a positive one. Dončić is still out, hasn’t done any full-contact work and his original projected time to return is at the end of May.
If he doesn’t come back before then, Los Angeles will have to play the entire series against OKC without their best player.
If that happens, then LeBron James will have to be magnificent, and Austin Reaves will have to play a whole lot better so that they can extend the season long enough for Dončić to play again.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
