According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent is expected to be available to play against the Brooklyn Nets on March 31.
Vincent has only played in five games this season. He underwent left knee surgery in December.
Vincent appeared in the first four games of the season before missing 23 straight games. He made his return to the lineup on December 20 against the Chicago Bulls.
Vincent finished with three points against the Bulls while shooting 1-of-4 from the field. However, he experienced discomfort and soreness in his knee after the Chicago game and chose to have surgery.
Vincent is averaging 5.4 points, 1.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists this season while shooting 37.5% from the field, 11.8% from beyond the arc and 50.0% from the foul line. He signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Lakers last summer in free agency.
The 27-year-old Vincent has career averages of 7.6 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists with the Miami Heat and Lakers. He’s making $10.5 million this season.
The Lakers are 41-32 on the season. They are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings. The team is currently on a five-game winning streak.
Los Angeles is seventh in the NBA in points per game, 23rd in points per game allowed and 19th in net rating.
After beating the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday (3/27), superstar LeBron James said he will prioritize his health over the chase for the Lakers’ playoff seeding down the stretch of the regular season.
LeBron returned from a one-game absence because of his sore left ankle — something that has been an issue for the 21-year veteran for months — to log his fourth triple-double of the season with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists against the Grizzlies.
“I got to be smart with it,” LeBron said. “If I’m not healthy, or [anywhere] close to being healthy, then it’s not good for our ballclub anyway. It’s not good for me.”
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