The Lakers have emerged from the Play-In Tournament to earn the West’s No. 7 seed and a first-round date with the defending champion Nuggets. It appears that LA will be without a key contributor to start the series.
Jarred Vanderbilt, who averaged 20.0 minutes per game for Los Angeles during the 2023-24 regular season, has not played in over two months. A 6-8 forward, Vanderbilt provides crucial depth in the Lakers frontcourt, something they will need when going against Denver.
Will Vanderbilt be able to take the floor during LA’s first-round series? Here’s the latest on his status for the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
SERIES PREVIEW: Can Denver continue its dominance over LA?
What is Jarred Vanderbilt’s injury?
Vanderbilt has a midfoot sprain.
He suffered the injury in the Lakers’ win over the Celtics on Feb. 1 and has not played since. Imaging did not reveal further damage to Vanderbilt’s foot, but his recovery time is greater than the average time missed for nondescript sprains.
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Is Jarred Vanderbilt playing in the 2024 NBA Playoffs?
Vanderbilt was cleared to return for Game 5 of the Lakers’ playoff series against the Nuggets. He was initially described by coach Darvin Ham as day-to-day entering the series.
As of April 5, Vanderbilt had not been cleared to participate in contact drills, according to McMenamin. Vanderbilt was progressing toward full sprinting and jumping in his reconditioning program at the time.
Vanderbilt’s return is a welcomed one for the Lakers, who needs all hands on deck to have any chance of a historic comeback to knock off the defending champions. He averaged 5.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in a part-time role off Los Angeles’ bench before the injury.
MORE: How LeBron James, Lakers held on for thrilling Play-In win vs. Pelicans
Lakers vs. Nuggets schedule, TV channels
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Saturday, April 20 | Game 1 at Nuggets | 8:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Monday, April 22 | Game 2 at Nuggets | 10 p.m. | TNT |
| Thursday, April 25 | Game 3 at Lakers | 10 p.m. | TNT |
| Saturday, April 27 | Game 4 at Lakers | 8:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Monday, April 29 | Game 5 at Nuggets* | TBD | TBD |
| Thursday, May 2 | Game 6 at Lakers* | TBD | TBD |
| Saturday, May 4 | Game 7 at Nuggets* | TBD | TNT |
*If necessary
Fans in the U.S. can watch the NBA Playoffs on Sling TV. Sling is the home for avid sports fans offering a range of sports channels so you can always cheer for your favorite teams with channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, NFL Network, FS1, and more.
