Vanderbilt pinkie – A clash with the backboard sidelined Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith? No—Vanderbilt. The Thunder took control late and won 108-90.
A scary moment in the middle of a growing Thunder advantage turned the spotlight away from the scoreboard and onto one of the Lakers’ players.
Lakers forward Vanderbilt suffered a gruesome pinkie injury after swiping at a dunk attempt from behind and striking his finger on the backboard. The incident was unsettling enough that several Thunder players on the bench quickly looked away, underscoring how serious the contact appeared.
Meanwhile, Thunder guard Jared McCain described the scene as “pretty gruesome,” adding that he and others could only tell it looked bad. For the Lakers, the immediate concern was whether Vanderbilt could continue, and he eventually left the floor while holding his hand.
This kind of freak collision matters because it changes the rhythm of a game fast, both physically and mentally, even when the on-court action continues.
The injury occurred during a crucial stretch of the second quarter when Holmgren converted the dunk to extend the Thunder’s lead to 48-39 with 5:57 remaining. Vanderbilt bent over while clutching his hand, then exited the game soon after.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said Vanderbilt was visibly in pain, with the forward audibly screaming, and he framed it as a freak injury. Redick also acknowledged the setback for the team, especially as the rotation tightened without Vanderbilt available.
In this context, the Lakers’ bench had limited time to adjust, with the reserves reduced to eight available players and one reserve only managing six minutes, finishing with two points.
The Thunder, meanwhile, kept rolling, leading 61-53 at halftime before sealing a comfortable 108-90 victory as the Lakers dealt with the fallout from the injury.
After incidents like this, the final score often takes a back seat to the bigger question: how quickly Vanderbilt can recover and whether the team will need to rethink depth and matchups in the next stretch.