Lakers Forward Jarred Vanderbilt Suffers Dislocated Right Pinky in Series Opener
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt sustained a full dislocation of his right pinky finger during Tuesday’s Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The injury occurred in the first half when the 6-foot-8 wing attempted to swat away an alley-oop intended for Thunder center Chet Holmgren. Vanderbilt’s right hand struck the backboard, and he immediately dropped to the court in visible pain near the Oklahoma City bench. Several Thunder players turned away after noticing the position of his finger.
Vanderbilt did not return, leaving head coach Darvin Ham with one fewer frontcourt option as Los Angeles continues to await superstar Luka Dončić’s recovery from a hamstring strain. After Vanderbilt exited, the Lakers relied on an eight-man rotation until the closing minutes.
The 24-year-old averaged 3.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game during the first-round series against Houston. He played just six minutes in Game 5 of that matchup and was held out of the decisive Game 6. In the regular season, Vanderbilt appeared in 65 games, posting 4.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest.
Oklahoma City closed out Game 1 with a 108-90 victory. Vanderbilt has two seasons remaining on the four-year, $48 million contract he signed in 2024.
Source: Hoops Rumors
