Jarred Vanderbilt suffers brutal finger injury, exits Lakers vs Thunder game

Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a severe finger injury during Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The brutal injury occurred when Vanderbilt was trying to block a dunk by Chet Holmgren. Suddenly, his hand hit the corner of the backboard, resulting in the mishap.

As reported by ESPN, the injury was not simple. A full right pinkie dislocation sustained during the second quarter.

Witnesses and photos suggested that bone was reportedly exposed through the skin and Vanderbilt was heard “audibly screaming” in pain.

Lakers assistant athletic trainer Octavio Marquez Montoya and coach JJ Redick attended the Lakers forward due to severity of injury and pain.

"I had to go check on him because it just looked bad. I mean, he was audibly screaming, and you knew he had done something. So, we're obviously disappointed that it happened. It's just a freak injury,” Redick said after the game.

Soon after the unfortunate incident, Vanderbilt was immediately ruled out for the remainder of the game, which the Lakers ultimately lost 108-90. However, it is not clear for how long he might be out of the series.

Even LeBron James talked about Vanderbilt’s toughness, stating "If Vando was in pain, then something actually really happened. So, it sucks."

Vanderbilt played only six minutes, with two points and one rebound. The Lakers now trail the series 0-1.