Marc Gasol plays through ‘gross’ finger injury in Lakers loss
After Marc Gasol‘s left pinkie finger was dislocated in the third quarter, the Lakers center refused to let that injury slow him down.
He was in the midst of having his best scoring game of the season when he was injured in a 121-113 loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday night at Staples Center in front of 1,915 fans. The Lakers’ training staff popped his finger back in place and Gasol continued to play, even hitting a three-pointer afterward.
Gasol finished with a season-high 18 points and a volar plate fracture to his pinkie that was revealed in a post-game X-ray.
“That was a first,” Gasol said on Zoom about his finger popping out of joint.
The Lakers play again Saturday afternoon against the Utah Jazz, leaving Gasol to say “hopefully” when asked if he would play.
“I think now it’s just a matter of talking to the medical team and see if this [swelling] goes down. Kinda see where we at,” he said. “But it’s my left hand. I don’t use it much anyways, so we’ll see.”
The area around Staples Center and L.A. Live had increased activity on Thursday night as fans returned to the arena to watch the Lakers-Celtics game.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel was impressed by Gasol playing through his injury.
“It popped out and they popped it back in right there on the spot. It was kind of gross,” Vogel said. “And he continued to play, which is a really gutsy thing to do after something like that.”
Gasol played 21 minutes. He was seven-for-10 shooting from the field and four for six from three-point range, the most impressive three after his finger injury.
He got rolling in the third quarter, scoring 11 points by making all four of his shots, including three three-pointers.
“I made a couple already by that time. I think by that time, I made a couple of shots,” Gasol said. “Then when I got the ball there in the same spot again … I think Dennis [Schroder] hit a shot, got my feet right and shot again. It obviously felt a little bit when you go up [to shoot], the grip of the ball. But adrenaline helps. Like you said, at that point, you just want to continue to help the team.”
Schroder plays through injury
He had been listed as questionable before the game because of a right foot infection, but when the game started between the Lakers and Celtics, Schroder was in the starting lineup.
He was not going to let his teammates down as long as his body would hold up.
Highlights from the Lakers’ 121-113 loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday.
Schroder played 28 minutes and had eight points on three-for-eight shooting and eight assists.
“I mean, I just try to give it everything I have no matter,” Schroder said after the game. “I just try to be out there with my teammates, try to get a W. I feel like I can play, try to give it everything I have. Yeah, that’s it pretty much. I don’t like to miss games.”
Schroder plans on playing against the Jazz on Saturday.
“Yeah, the foot was a problem. He really almost did not play, but really wanted to be in there,” Vogel said. “Was in a lot of pain, took a while to get him to loosen it up. And right up until our team meeting, we were still uncertain whether he was going to be able to play. But he definitely wanted to be in there. And credit to him for gutting it out and playing through pain. A lot of credit to him.”
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