Lakers News: Gabe Vincent Reacts To First Game Back In Nearly 2 Months

LA's reserve point guard played in just his fifth game Wednesday... before sitting again.

Los Angeles Lakers reserve combo guard Gabe Vincent played in just his fifth game since donning the Purple and Gold on Wednesday, a 124-108 road loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Since signing with the team on a three-year, $33 million contract this summer, the 27-year-old guard out of UC Santa Barbara has missed 24 games overall due to a left knee effusion, including 19 straight prior to the Bulls defeat.

“Trying to compete and do what I can to move the needle in a positive direction.” Gabe Vincent on his return to the court. pic.twitter.com/Iv1G7R7RZg

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) December 21, 2023

“It felt better as the game went on for sure. As we got warm, as we got up and down, my wind got a little better," Vincent noted of his adjustment during the game. "Trying to compete and do what I can to move the needle in a positive direction."

The 6'3" vet scored three points on 1-of-4 shooting from the floor (1-of-3 from deep), dished out three assists, pulled down one rebound, and logged a -12 plus-minus during his fairly middling 13:57 on the floor.

Vincent subsequently sat out Thursday's 118-111 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. To hear Los Angeles head coach Darvin Ham tell it, that was more of a precaution from the team than a regression for Vincent, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times.

“That’s one of those things where you just have to be careful,” Ham remarked on managing Vincent. “There’s gonna be boundaries and parameters when you try to reintegrate someone that’s been gone that long. It was the same with [Jarred Vanderbilt]). And not playing in a back-to-back is something that was decided beforehand.”