NEW YORK — With fewer than three weeks remaining till the postseason begins, the Los Angeles Lakers welcomed Gabe Vincent again to the lineup after lacking the reserve guard for the previous three months.
Vincent completed with 2 factors, 1 help, 1 rebound, 1 steal and a pair of fouls in 14 minutes in L.A.’s 116-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Lakers improved to 3-1 on their six-game street journey, which concludes with a back-to-back towards the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I would not step on that courtroom if I did not really feel like I might assist my crew win video games,” Vincent stated earlier than the sport when requested if he felt able to contribute. “Regardless of the function could also be, regardless of the minutes could also be, that is not for me to determine.”
Taking part in for the primary time since present process arthroscopic surgical procedure on his left knee Dec. 27, Vincent checked in with 3:34 remaining within the first quarter, changing Austin Reaves with L.A. up 26-6.
He made his first shot, a turnaround 8-footer off the glass, to increase the Lakers’ result in 31-7.
Within the second quarter, he recorded his solely help by driving and drawing a assist defender, leaving Anthony Davis free to catch a lob move for a rating on the rim.
“He makes it simple,” Vincent stated. “He is enormous.”
Vincent took up the minutes within the rotation that had been going to Cam Reddish and Max Christie.
“General, I feel he seemed actually stable,” Davis stated.
Vincent signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Lakers within the offseason. He was introduced in for his robust perimeter protection and shot-making potential after serving to the Miami Warmth on a run to the NBA Finals.
“The explanation we introduced him right here was his aggressive hearth, his physicality, his point-of-attack protection, his potential to attain the ball,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham stated. “And simply him being extremely aggressive within the largest moments, him not taking a backseat to anyone. We noticed the run he had by means of the playoffs final 12 months with Miami. And simply he is a fighter and simply he has a quiet management, a quiet toughness about him. So we thought that may match properly with what now we have occurring right here already.”
Vincent was not sure how a lot he would play within the back-to-back to finish the street journey.
“I will allow them to care for it,” Vincent stated. “I acquired religion within the coaching employees and the teaching employees and so they place confidence in me, they put me in there for no matter minutes they do and hopefully I proceed to construct belief with these guys on this locker room.”
LeBron James had a giant smile on his face when he shook Vincent’s hand within the locker room after the sport, congratulating the 27-year-old on his comeback.
“Simply advised him, ‘Completely satisfied to have you ever again, man. Congrats and pleased to have you ever again on the market,'” James stated. “Clearly, first motion in so many months, the legs, the lungs are the very first thing to go. However I believed he was nice within the minutes he was on the market and it was nice to have him again.”
