The Los Angeles Lakers have won eight of their last nine games and 10 of their last 13, and it looks like they’re ramping up ahead of the postseason.
They recently welcomed back guard Gabe Vincent, who had been out for three months and had only played five games to that point because of a persistent knee problem. Once Vincent gets up to speed, he should provide the perimeter defense they have been lacking.
When it comes to perimeter defense, L.A. has really missed forward Jarred Vanderbilt and his ability to effectively guard multiple positions. He has reportedly been slowly making progress, and the team has reportedly targeted the next week or so for his return.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Vanderbilt is working “towards full sprinting and jumping” but hasn’t been cleared for contact activities.
Jarred Vanderbilt has still not been cleared for any contact drills and continues to work his way towards full sprinting and jumping in his reconditioning program. He went through an individual workout at UCLA Health Training Center today while the Lakers held a team practice.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 5, 2024
The Lakers are expected to reevaluate Vanderbilt early next week. They have five games left in their regular-season schedule. With a 44-33 record, they remain in ninth place in the Western Conference.