Gabe Vincent out 2-4 weeks with ankle sprain, Lakers depth tested
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent will be sidelined for up to a month after spraining his left ankle during Sunday’s win over the Sacramento Kings, according to ESPN sources.
Vincent underwent an MRI on Monday that confirmed the injury’s severity. He was spotted arriving at Crypto.com Arena on crutches for Monday’s game against Portland.
The timing couldn’t be worse for the Lakers, who are already dealing with a wave of injuries to key players.
Vincent, 29, had stepped into a starting role for the team’s first three games, filling in for LeBron James who’s been battling sciatica in his lower back and right side.
The 6-foot-3 guard earned that opportunity after an impressive preseason where he averaged 16.3 points while shooting a red-hot 55.6% from three-point range.
But the injury bug didn’t stop with Vincent.
The Lakers faced Portland without several other important pieces. Luka Doncic missed his second straight game with finger and leg issues, while Marcus Smart (who had replaced Doncic in Sacramento) was out with a quad contusion.
Jaxson Hayes sat with knee tendinopathy, and both Maxi Kleber and rookie Adou Thiero haven’t played at all this season.
All these absences have forced coach JJ Redick to get creative with his lineups. Monday’s game against Portland marked the third different starting five in just four games.
Austin Reaves steps up
With the team shorthanded, Austin Reaves delivered a career-defining performance against Sacramento on Sunday.
Reaves exploded for 51 points, becoming just the 12th player in Lakers history to hit the 50-point mark. He scored consistently throughout the game with 7 points in the first quarter, 14 in the second, and 15 in both the third and fourth.
It was the second-highest scoring game by any undrafted player in NBA history.
“We’re not expecting Austin to go out and score 51 again,” Redick said before the Portland game. “I don’t expect anybody to do more than they’re capable of doing. What we challenged the guys on before the game was playing with an edge.”
Reaves nearly pulled off another miracle against Portland, leading all scorers with 41 points while adding four rebounds and five assists. But it wasn’t enough as the Lakers fell 122-108.
With Vincent now joining the injured list, the Lakers’ depth will be seriously tested in the coming weeks.
