Jarred Vanderbilt and Anthony Edwards pushed one another after a heated argument.
Last night, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-102 in a fiercely contested game to maintain their lead in the West Playoffs. Despite not having any big men on the team, the Lakers have emerged as one of the NBA’s top defensive teams in the past month. They do, however, have enforcers like Jarred Vanderbilt who are prepared to take on any NBA rival. This was seen during Vanderbilt’s shoving altercation with Anthony Edwards against the Timberwolves.
In addition to being removed from the game and receiving an automatic one-game ban for his 16 technical fouls this season, Edwards was generally having a rough game. Before being dismissed, he scored 18 points (6-12 FG) in three quarters. With just 13 minutes of bench time, Vanderbilt managed to record five points, two rebounds, and one assist. His influence is seen on the court through his personal pressure rather than the box score.
As the POA defender assigned to him in his minutes, he put pressure on his old Timberwolves teammate Edwards, but he didn’t cover the guard long enough for their early altercation to get out of hand. Jarred is in a crucial position because a switchable defense rotation will need him to play a lot of center. Given that he is only averaging 3.5 points and 5.0 rebounds this season, his lack of offensive ability is a concern.
There is little assurance that he will play a significant part if he is unable to contribute offensively, even though it is hoped that his defensive prowess would make him important enough for Playoff minutes.
The Lakers’ new enforcer, Jarred Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt has been at odds with a top opponent for the third time this week. Several role-players in the NBA have been known to provoke their opponents, and it appears Vanderbilt is accepting the responsibility for the Lakers. Under head coach JJ Redick, he must figure out how to become a vital part of the team’s culture because he already has a long-term deal that expires in 2028.
