Lakers guard Gabe Vincent to return to lineup in the coming days: report
Gabe Vincent #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Lakers continue to gain momentum in the weeks ahead of the playoffs and on Thursday, the team received some promising news.
Shams Charania of The Athletic was the first to report Lakers guard Gabe Vincent would join them during their current road trip and could be available as soon as Sunday for their game against the Brooklyn Nets.
Vincent, who was a standout during last year’s playoffs in Miami, has only appeared in five games this season as a Laker. In late December, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
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His scheduled return comes at great timing. The Men in Purple and Gold are on a hot streak and have won their last five games, including a double-overtime thriller in Milwaukee.
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Even with Vincent's return, the Lakers won't have a fully healthy roster. Christian Wood is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season and Jarred Vanderbilt has been out since Feb. 1 with a foot injury.
The current NBA standings show the Lakers are likely to return to the play-in tournament to fight for a spot in the playoff rounds. They remain the ninth seed in the Western Conference with a 41-32 record as of Thursday morning.
The Lakers were in a similar situation last year and made it to the Western Conference Finals.