The internet is breaking over Jarred Vanderbilt's gruesome pinky dislocation
Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) passes the basketball during an NBA game against the San Antonio Spurs on February 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t just draw first blood on Tuesday night - they sent a deafening message to the rest of the league. In a 108-90 dismantling of the Los Angeles Lakers at Paycom Center, OKC seized the driver's seat in this Western Conference Semifinals clash, leaving the Purple and Gold searching for answers in the wake of a blistering Game 1 statement.
But the blowout victory was overshadowed by a dark cloud hanging over the Lakers' bench. The vibe shifted from competitive to grim in the second quarter when Jarred Vanderbilt went down. The defensive specialist, the coach JJ Redick relies on to do the dirty work, saw his night cut short by a gruesome right pinky dislocation with 5:51 left in the half.
I’m no expert but that’s a broken finger pic. twitter. com/X7cbVlR5z8 — Thundertaker25 (@Thundertaker25) May 6, 2026 It was a freak accident born out of pure hustle.
Vanderbilt was chasing down Chet Holmgren on a fast break, gunning for a signature chase-down block, when his hand slammed into the backboard padding with terrifying force. The sight of Vanderbilt doubled over in agony near the Thunder bench was a total gut-punch for a Lakers squad already fighting an uphill battle. While he managed two points and a board in his brief six-minute stint, the stark reality is that his absence left a gaping hole in the Lakers' perimeter defense.
The internet’s reaction to Jarred Vanderbilt's gruesome pinky dislocation “The Thunder's reaction to Jarred Vanderbilt's hand injury,” captioned by Bleacher Report to a clip posted. The Thunder's reaction to Jarred Vanderbilt's hand injury 🤕 pic. twitter.