The Los Angeles Lakers showed signs of life in late January and February, winning 11 of 16 games going into the All-Star break. Since then, they have regressed, winning just half of their subsequent 12 games.
Their last two losses, to the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors in the last four days, have virtually eliminated any chance they had of finishing in the top six of the Western Conference. In fact, at this point, the 10th-place Lakers have little chance of even finishing eighth in the conference.
However, there may be a glimmer of hope. Guard Gabe Vincent, who has been out for seemingly forever due to a nagging knee ailment, may actually be nearing a return.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the final step in his return process will be regaining his conditioning.
Vincent did not participate in the live portion of practice today. Darvin Ham says Vincent is “status quo.” The final step in Vincent’s return process will be getting his conditioning back, a source told ESPN. https://t.co/gIIuYIoJSa
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 15, 2024
Vincent’s return cannot come too soon. Los Angeles seriously lacks defensive resistance on the perimeter, and he is known for providing exactly that, especially last season when he helped the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals.