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Right now, the Los Angeles Lakers are without three rotation players: starting guard Austin Reaves, starting forward Rui Hachimura and reserve guard Gabe Vincent. Rookie forward Adou Thiero, who has seen small slivers of playing time, is also out of action.
All four men are dealing with injuries, and as a result, the Lakers are without a good amount of firepower. They have lost six of their last 13 games, and after getting to second place in the Western Conference after a 15-4 start, they have fallen to fifth place.
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The good news is that Vincent could return to action very soon, perhaps on Tuesday when the Lakers visit the New Orleans Pelicans to start a quick two-game road trip. Coach JJ Redick said on Friday that Vincent, who has missed eight straight games due to a back ailment, could be back for that trip.
“We’re hoping he’s available for one of the games on the road trip,” Redick said. “But again, we’ve got to get him exposure to live play and with the travel day on Monday, that’s going to be tough.”
Vincent is able to play some effective defense on opposing backcourt players and provide Los Angeles with some defensive resistance at the point of attack. While he has historically been an inconsistent 3-point shooter, he is at a decent 36.2% from 3-point range so far this season.
He has played in only 14 of a possible 33 games, as he was out for 11 games earlier in the season due to a sprained ankle.
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This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Gabe Vincent could return for Lakers on upcoming two-game road trip
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