The Los Angeles Lakers have dodged a major bullet with forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who is now considered day-to-day after suffering a gruesome dislocated right pinky finger in Tuesday's Game 1 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The injury, which head coach JJ Redick described as a "full dislocation," occurred in the second quarter when Vanderbilt's hand collided with the backboard while attempting to block a dunk from Thunder star Chet Holmgren. The impact was severe enough that the bone broke through the skin, forcing Vanderbilt to immediately double over in pain before medical personnel could reset and splint the finger.

Despite the alarming nature of the injury, there's a silver lining for Lakers fans: Vanderbilt is left-handed, which could help him manage pain and continue contributing on the defensive end. Redick confirmed Wednesday that the finger has been properly restored and splinted, with the team taking a cautious approach to ensure the tissue heals enough to protect the skin barrier. "It's basically making sure the tissue is healed enough," Redick explained, noting that pain tolerance will play a role in when Vanderbilt can return to action.

Teammate Jaxson Hayes didn't mince words when describing the injury, calling it "disgusting" and noting that "the whole bone was out of his skin." The Lakers, who trail the Thunder 1-0 in this second-round series, will need Vanderbilt's defensive grit as they prepare for Game 2 on Thursday night at Paycom Center. With the series already heating up, Vanderbilt's status remains a key storyline for a Lakers team looking to even the score.