The Los Angeles Lakers have been dealing with one minor or moderate injury after another dating to the exhibition season. While these injuries haven’t been debilitating, they have limited their progress in building chemistry and reaching their potential.
On Saturday, they took a major step toward becoming whole. Cam Reddish returned after missing four of their last five games with groin soreness, while forward Jarred Vanderbilt played for the first time since the preseason after going through heel bursitis. In addition, Rui Hachimura was cleared to play after being out for four games with a nasal fracture, although he didn’t get on the court.
The one member of the team who is unable to play is guard Gabe Vincent, who has had a knee ailment since the opening days of the regular season. Some have wondered if the ailment might be serious, but according to head coach Darvin Ham, he is progressing.
Via Lakers Nation:
“He’s progressing along. Not as of yet, but he’s progressing really, really good,” Ham said of Vincent’s status and whether he has been re-evaluated.
“He’s been running on an [anti-gravity treadmill]. He’s doing some just conditioning, obviously in that regard, some normal weight-lifting stuff, shooting shots. But that’s it.”
In Vincent’s four contests this season, he has shown an ability to defend at a relatively high level while recovering loose balls and forcing steals and deflections. That defensive activity and effectiveness will help a Lakers team that has already made strides on that end of the floor over the last three weeks.