Injured Lakers Starter Seen In Walking Boot Near Locker Room; JJ Redick Highlights Key Concern

After Gabe Vincent went on a preseason heater run against the Mavericks, the Lakers fans thought they found the short-term replacement for LeBron James in the starting lineup. However, just three games into the season, the former Heat guard

sprained his left ankle and has been sidelined until further notice.

Early in the third quarter of their game against the Kings on Sunday night, Vincent went back to the locker room and was reportedly

seen in a walking boot afterwards. He did not return for the game as the Lakers won 127-120. He finished the game with three points, one rebound, and one assist, scoring all his points at the free-throw line.

According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, the X-ray results on Vincent’s left ankle were negative; therefore, there is likely no damage beyond a sprain that may sideline him for a few games.

The Lakers were already missing players worth $115 million of their $195 million payroll before this game. And now, they are without an additional $11.5 million-earning veteran player, Vincent.

Following the game,

JJ Redick, the Lakers’ head coach, spoke to the media about this and addressed indirectly how the roster would be affected if Vincent ends up missing a few games. While Redick said he had no information about Vincent’s injury at the time of the press conference, he did make anticipatory statements highlighting the key concern if Vincent missed out on extended time.

“I just thought our guys brought an edge. It wasn’t just Austin leading that; DA was great, Vando, Smart, Gabe before he got hurt, all those guys,” said Redick in an honest assessment of the game.

“Just got some things to work through right now, particularly Gabe, since he’s going to be out, with just ball-handling. I mean, it’s just asking a lot of AR to be the sole ball-handler the whole game, get pressured full court, and have to offensively create. So it’s just something we will need to figure out with our rotation in the short term.”

Gabe Vincent averaged 3.7 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 rebounds, while shooting 23.1% from the field and 20% from beyond the arc. In addition to Vincent, the Lakers also had an injury scare with the only other point guard left available on the roster,

Marcus Smart.

While Smart left the game due to a thigh contusion, he eventually returned mid-game against the Kings. If Smart also got injured, the Lakers would have a seriously depleted roster on their hands. If not for Vincent’s injury, this would be a fully positive outing for the Lakers, considering that they won

without both their superstars, Luka Doncic and LeBron James. However, they now need to figure out how to avoid overburdening Reaves in their absence.

Falcons’ Disastrous Loss to Eagles Raises Questions About Raheem Morris’s Future

The Atlanta Falcons' 34–10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on October 26, 2025, has cast a long shadow over head coach Raheem Morris’s future, with many questioning his ability to lead the team to the playoffs. After a promising start to the season, the Falcons are now facing back-to-back defeats, including a disappointing loss to the San Francisco 49ers the week before.

In a post-game interview, a visibly frustrated Morris said, “It’s frustrating. We didn’t execute when it mattered most, and that’s on me. We’ve got to get back to the fundamentals and figure out how to play smarter, especially in critical moments.”

Morris also addressed the performance of his quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., who had been playing through a foot/ankle bone bruise. Despite his injury, Penix completed 21 of 38 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the 49ers.

“Michael fought through it, but we all know injuries limit you,” Morris remarked. “We’ve got to do a better job of supporting him, and supporting each other as a team.”

The Falcons’ offensive struggles have been a major point of concern, with the team ranking 28th in points per game (18.3) and tied for 29th in red-zone efficiency (44.44%). Morris acknowledged the need for improvement in these areas, stating,

“Being in the red zone is one of those things that you definitely care about because it’s where you score the most points. We’ve got to be more effective when we get down there.”

On top of the offensive struggles, the team’s recent internal issues added to the mounting pressure. Wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III was sent home due to a personal matter and was later released by the team. Morris called the situation a “distraction” but didn’t offer further details, leaving the media and fans speculating about the nature of McCloud’s absence.

“It’s not ideal, but we’ve got to stay focused on what’s important: winning games,” Morris said. “We’ll handle the distractions, and we’ll keep moving forward.”

As the Falcons’ playoff hopes start to fade, questions about Morris’s leadership are growing louder. The team’s inability to maintain consistency on both sides of the ball and internal turmoil have put his job security in jeopardy.

“This is not how we want to be,” said defensive lineman Grady Jarrett. “We have to find a way to turn this around. We’ve got the talent, but we need to play like it.”

With crucial games ahead, the Falcons will need to address both their on-field execution and off-field distractions. Morris will have to prove that he can get the team back on track or face the possibility of a change at the helm.

“We’re all in this together,” Morris said, “and we’ve got to stick together and find a way to fix this. I’m committed to turning it around.”

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