The LA Lakers are facing a tough time dealing with the absence of player Jarred Vanderbilt. According to ESPN"s Adrian Wojnarowski, the LA Lakers are gearing up for a season without the young talent.
Just before the shocking news, Vanderbilt had put up an impressive performance against the Boston Celtics on February 1st.
"He’s going through it with a specialist this weekend, but at the minimum, he’s gonna be out a bunch of weeks," Wojnarowski said. "And they are bracing for him being out for the year. He had been playing his best basketball for the Lakers, Bobby [Marks], the last couple weeks both offensively, defensively on the ball. He’s their best — one of the best on-ball defenders in the league, and that’s a big hole for them."
Report: Lakers ‘bracing’ for Jarred Vanderbilt to miss the rest of the season https://t.co/vmRHzTGyxa
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 5, 2024
Within 16 active minutes, he successfully marked ten points, seven rebounds, two assists, and applied three steals.
Vanderbilt"s contribution was crucial in the Lakers" victory over the Celtics, with an impressive 9-point lead.
The Lakers undoubtedly graced the match by overcoming the Boston Celtics without the aid of key players LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
This victory marked only the third home loss for Boston Celtics in the ongoing 2023-24 regular season.
Despite the home loss, the Boston Celtics still hold the top record in the NBA at a solid 38-12. They also maintain a comfortable lead over the Milwaukee Bucks, the current No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Even during a troubled match against the Atlanta Hawks on January 30th, Vanderbilt retained his solid performance by amassing 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals, having managed to convert all six shots from the floor across 26 minutes of action.
So far, Vanderbilt has participated in 29 games with the Lakers this season. He has averaged 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game, shooting rate of 51.8 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from 3-point range.
Starting his NBA journey as the No.41 overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 2018 NBA Draft, Vanderbilt has had a vibrant career.
He has played for leading teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, and finally, the LA Lakers.
The Lakers are now stepping up to face an important road matchup against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Hornets have experienced a series of seven losses in a row, making this an extremely decisive match for the Lakers.
