Thunder players were disturbed by Jarred Vanderbilt’s injury

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Thunder players were disturbed by Jarred Vanderbilt’s injury

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Rex Villas | Last updated May 6, 2026 9:05 AM ET

Los Angeles Laker forward Jarred Vanderbilt’s finger injury left Oklahoma City Thunder players repulsed.

The Lakers dealt with a bad hand on Monday, not just because of their 108-90 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 1 of their second-round series at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., but also because of Vanderbilt’s gruesome injury.

Vanderbilt apparently dislocated his right pinkie finger while trying to challenge Thunder big man Chet Holmgren’s dunk attempt in the second quarter. He was in immediate pain after hitting his finger on the backboard, forcing the Lakers to burn a timeout.

When some OKC players saw Vanderbilt’s dislocated finger, they reflexively recoiled in horror.

You can watch their reactions here.

The Thunder's reaction to Jarred Vanderbilt's hand injury pic.twitter.com/k9qHwGXyh7
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 6, 2026

At least they did not have to see what was done to Vanderbilt’s hand following the game.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Vanderbilt’s hand had to be stitched up “because the bone in his dislocated pinky finger broke skin.”

Vanderbilt did not return to the contest, as the Lakers struggled to contain the Thunder, who took control in the second half.

Given the extent of his injury, Vanderbilt is unlikely to see action in Game 2 of the series on Thursday and could potentially miss the rest of the playoffs.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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