Jarred Vanderbilt has reclaimed a spot in the Los Angeles Lakers’ rotation after spending most of late November and early December on the bench. The forward was listed as a coach’s decision DNP in nine of 10 games from Nov. 18 to Dec. 10, but returned during last week’s win over the Phoenix Suns and has logged at least 15 minutes in each of the club’s past three outings.
His impact has been most visible on the offensive boards. Across those three games, Vanderbilt has pulled down 23 total rebounds, 13 on the offensive end, injecting the athleticism and effort head coach Darvin Ham has been seeking.
“Oh, for sure,” Vanderbilt told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin when asked if offensive rebounding is a nightly focus. “That’s something I can bring to the table every single night. Especially some games where we’re not shooting well, there are a lot more opportunities for offensive rebounds. We’re trying to win that possession battle, so if we’re not having a great shooting night, having multiple efforts and being able to get multiple opportunities on the glass is going to better our chances.”
The Lakers meet the Suns again on Tuesday, offering Vanderbilt another chance to capitalize on his strengths around the rim as Los Angeles continues to navigate injuries near the top of the depth chart.
On Saturday against the L.A. Clippers, the Lakers were without starters Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura. Luka Doncic was also ruled out at halftime, leaving the roster severely shorthanded. After the loss, LeBron James emphasized the importance of others stepping up and praised the bench for its effort despite cold shooting.
Source: Lakers Nation
