The Los Angeles Lakers are now 0-5 against the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, dating back to their first matchup back in November. Still fresh off their victory over the Rockets, reality is hitting hard for the Lake Show, who are now scrambling for any way to save their season from certain elimination.
With Game 2 of the series set for tomorrow, there was some hope that Luka Doncic’s return might power them to an upset victory to steal home-court advantage. Instead, the Lakers have ruled him out in what is becoming a desperate injury situation.
According to the Lakers, who submitted the report Wednesday evening, star guard Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) has been ruled out, while forward Jarred Vanderbilt is doubtful as he recovers from a dislocated right finger. Meanwhile, backup sharpshooter Luke Kennard is listed as questionable with neck soreness. Meanwhile, for the Thunder, Thomas Sorber (ACL) and Jalen Williams (left hamstring strain) are both set to miss tomorrow’s pivotal game.
The progress with Doncic has been admittedly slow, but neither he nor the Lakers is willing to skip steps and rush his recovery. The 27-year-old guard was having a career year before he went down back on April 2nd, but hamstring strains can be notoriously tricky, and this one seems to be lingering. According to Doncic himself, he’s doing everything he can to get back, but this injury is unlike anything he’s experienced before.
Meanwhile, for Jarred Vanderbilt, his return is not a matter of if, but when. After dislocating his pinkie in Game 1, the defensive swingman was heard screaming in pain, leading to widespread concerns about his status. He’s day-to-day while he recovers, but he likely won’t suit up tomorrow with just one full day of rest. We can expect back either in Game 3 on Saturday or in Game 4 on Monday.
Even with a fully healthy team, the odds would have been stacked against the Lakers in this series. Before Game 1, JJ Redick made it very clear that his team “sucked” against the Thunder this season, and it’s no wonder that they are seemingly bracing for the loss. Between trying to stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who went for 18 points and six assists on 53.3% shooting in Game 1, and keeping up with the second unit (which combined to score 32 points on Tuesday), the Lakers have been overwhelmed, and there are no signs of relief.
So far, all the burden has been on LeBron James, and his 27-point performance in Game 1 was the only thing that gave them a chance. In Game 2, more than just LeBron will have to step up to change the result. For starters, guys like Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Luke Kennard will have to play more as they did in the last series, against the Rockets, to truly challenge the defending champs.
Coming off a season with averages of 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 47.6% shooting and 36.6% shooting from three, Luka’s return would obviously boost the Lakers’ chances in this series, but they cannot rely solely on his health to get the job done. Against this Thunder team, it will require perfect execution, seamless chemistry, and constant communication on the floor.
