The Los Angeles Lakers roster is already stretched thin as it is, but there’s a chance they could be down one more body for Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.
Luke Kennard was added to the Lakers injury report on Wednesday with neck soreness. He’s still on it as of the 5:30 p.m. NBA injury report for Thursday and is officially listed as questionable.
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Kennard struggled in Game 1, shooting just 1-for-4 from the field for seven points, five rebounds, one assist and two turnovers. But the 29-year-old sharpshooter played a major role in the Lakers’ first round series win over the Houston Rockets, scoring 27 and 23 points in the first two games as LA raced out to a 3-0 lead. He ultimately averaged 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 44.6% and 41.7% from beyond the arc over their six games against Houston.
The Lakers acquired Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round draft pick at the trade deadline on Feb. 5. Since his arrival, he’s provided some much-needed shooting to Crypto.com Arena, emerging as a go-to complementary piece for LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
If Kennard sits for Game 2, that would add to the Lakers’ injury woes this postseason.
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Doncic has missed a month with a grade 2 hamstring strain and recently revealed he was originally given an eight-week timeline to return, meaning he likely won’t be available until the end of the Western Conference Finals.
Jarred Vanderbilt is day-to-day with a dislocated right pinky and Austin Reaves has struggled to a 30.4% field goal percentage since returning from a grade 2 oblique strain in Game 5 against Houston.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luke Kennard injury update Lakers vs. Thunder Game 2
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