Just as one of the most dominant months in recent Los Angeles Lakers history came to a close, optimism was nearly blown to pieces. On consecutive days, Rui Hachimura suffered a knee injury that was diagnosed as tendinopathy and Austin Reaves endured a calf strain.
Thankfully, playing without Hachimura and Reaves has proven to be a blessing in disguise, as several key reserves have stepped up in their place.
One of the primary contributors to take their game to another level in recent weeks has been Gabe Vincent. In the second season of a three-year, $33 million contract, he's been in hot pursuit of redemption after an injury-plagued 2023-24 campaign robbed him of an ideal first impression.
Thankfully, Vincent has capitalized on the uptick in playing time by stepping up with some of his best performances of the season.
Vincent delivered seven points, three assists, four steals, and a block in the first full game without Hachimura. He buried three three-point field goals during the first outing sans Reaves, and came up with another two steals during the showing that followed.
It was the game against the Knicks, however, that saw Vincent return to the second unit and prove that his time as a starter in Reaves' place was a blessing in disguise.
Gabe Vincent has utilized influx of playing time to rediscover form
Vincent was phenomenal against the Knicks, posting 12 points in 22 minutes. He shot 4-of-5 from the field, burying all four of the three-point field goals he attempted and producing a positive plus-minus in the Lakers' overtime win.
More importantly, Vincent buried three three-point field goals during the fourth quarter alone—crucial contributions to Los Angeles' come-from-behind victory.
Not only was he timely with his contributions, but he made all three of those shots in the final six minutes of regulation. That includes the first of three, which broke a stretch during which the Lakers had scored just two points in roughly three minutes.
Vincent then brought the Lakers within one point with 2:55 remaining on the clock and gave Los Angeles its first lead of the second half with 1:21 left in the fourth.
Vincent's late-game heroics were nothing short of sensational on their own. The context of his improvement, however, is what should have Lakers fans ecstatic about the 2023 NBA Playoffs hero's progressive reemergence.
Vincent has been steadily improving his quality of play on both ends of the floor during the 2024-25 campaign, and now seems to have found his confidence again.
Vincent has scored at least 10 points in just 11 games during the 2024-25 regular season. Eight of those 11 outings have taken place since Jan. 15, however, during which time he's averaged 8.1 points and 1.9 three-point field goals made in just 23.3 minutes per contest.
It's taken some time for Vincent to get back to this level, but the brief moments in the starting lineup seemed to get him over the hump.
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