The Los Angeles Lakers' injury woes continue, as forward Jarred Vanderbilt was the latest one to head to the sidelines during Game 1 of the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The injury occurred when the 27-year-old tried to block a fastbreak dunk attempt by OKC star Chet Holmgren. Unfortunately, Vanderbilt's hand hit the backboard instead.

He was visibly in a lot of pain and immediately left the court. There is no update on how serious the injury is yet, but one look at how the Thunder bench reacted, and one would assume it is a dislocated or broken finger.

Vanderbilt finished his game with two points (1-2 FG, 0-1 3Pt) and one rebound in six minutes. The Lakers ruled him out for the rest of Game 1 at halftime, and it was revealed that he had injured the pinkie on his right hand.

This is just not what the Lakers need right now, especially while facing the gargantuan task of overcoming the reigning NBA champions. They are already facing issues in the attack, with star player Luka Doncic out with a Grade 2 hamstring strain suffered on April 2 against the Thunder.

Fortunately, the injury occurred on Vanderbilt's non-shooting hand. The team must now find a replacement for the 27-year-old.

While Vanderbilt rarely plays a full game for the Lakers, he remains a key asset for the short-handed team. He brings clear value with his ability to play 94 feet of energetic defense and handle the ball in transition.

With Vanderbilt likely gone for the series, the question remains who the Lakers will trust to replace him.

Who will step up for the Lakers?

Following Vanderbilt's injury, the first two names that come to mind to replace the power forward are Luke Kennard and Jake LaRavia, who are poised to get more minutes.

However, head coach JJ Redick could also evaluate his bench options with surprise inclusions of Bronny James, Adou Thiero, and Dalton Knecht.

Defensively, Thiero would be the best fit among the three, as he had an impressive performance against the Thunder on April 8 while guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Thiero had 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists in that game, though the Lakers lost 123-87.

With the 17-time NBA champions losing Game 1 with an 18-point deficit on the road, the most important thing coming out of it is that Vando is healthy after what appears to be a pretty nasty injury.

So, who do you think should be the frontrunner to replace Vanderbilt in Game 2? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Surjo Ray