Your Los Angeles Lakers have been dealt a frustrating injury blow with just minutes left until tonight’s scheduled tipoff against the Dallas Mavericks.
\Per Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet, LA power forward Jarred Vanderbilt is a late scratch this evening with a low back spasm. Vanderbilt had just returned to the lineup for LA after being waylaid by left heel bursitis for the first 20 games of the 2023-24 regular season.
The 6’8″ big man, newly signed to a four-year, $48 million extension with Los Angeles, is weirdly one of the team’s best perimeter defenders.
With the other, Gabe Vincent, also hurt, head coach Darvin Ham will have to scramble to mount a new defensive scheme against Mavericks All-Star point guard Luka Doncic.
Look for wings Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish to both get a look against Dallas instead.