LOS ANGELES — Jarred Vanderbilt is tough-minded, Lakers coach JJ Redick said. And just four days after suffering a full right finger dislocation, in which the bone of his pinky broke through skin, the reserve forward was available for Game 3 of their second-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.
From screaming down the tunnel on his way to the locker room – according to eyewitnesses in Oklahoma City during Game 1 – to back in the rotation with the Lakers entering the weekend trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, Vanderbilt has swiftly moved from stitches to a splint and now, in-game action.
“We just had to kind of make sure that the tissue and the stitches were good to go so that the bone wouldn’t pop out (of his finger) again,” Redick said of Vanderbilt, who played six minutes in the series opener on Tuesday night before his second-quarter injury. “But, I mean, he’s certainly tough-minded and wants to give it a go.”
“Glad he’s never taken a shot right-handed in his life,” Redick then joked.
Vanderbilt entered Saturday as questionable after sitting out Thursday’s 125-107 loss, but he returned to a Lakers’ rotation that included rookie forward Adou Thiero playing a stint in each half of Game 2. Redick said that he thought Thiero did well Thursday, showcasing his “high energy and physicality” in his six minutes on the court.
Redick said the way the Thunder have exploited their minutes without star guard Shai Gilegous-Alexander on the court is forcing him to adjust lineups and coverages when the likes of Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain and Chet Holmgren are playing.
Holmgren hasn’t just dominated the Lakers with his scoring – averaging 23 points and 10.5 rebounds per game – he has also helped limit Deandre Ayton after the center emerged to help lead the Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the final three games of their first-round series.
Ayton has just 13 points through the first two games against the Thunder, shooting just 1 for 7 from the field in 27 minutes in Game 2. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said limiting Ayton’s production, specifically after his success against Houston, has been a “priority” for his team.
“He’s a really talented player with great size, touch, great hands, (and) as you assess what you need to do against this team to give yourself advantages, he’s up there,” Daigneault said. “Obviously (Austin Reaves and LeBron James) is where a lot of possessions start, but he’s (in) that next tier of guys on their team that can really hurt you.”
Redick added that part of what Holmgren has done, overhelping on defense and forcing Ayton toward the perimeter, has stifled the 7-footer’s production. But ultimately, Ayton needs to increase his scoring at the rim, Redick said.
“I think he’s shooting like 27% at the rim right now, so a lot of that has to do with where Chet is on the floor,” Redick said. “Too often (in Game 2), we were coming off ball screens and taking one dribble and there’s no advantage created. That certainly could help D.A. as well.”