The Lakers will, in fact, not be receiving a boost of returning players flamengo x fluminense:for Game 3 after all. After separate reports indicated both Christian Wood and flamengo x fluminense:Jarred Vanderbilt were eyeing re💛turns for Thursday’s return to Los Angeles, both players were, instead, liꩵsted as out on the Lakers injury report.

Wood and Vanderbilt each took part, in a limited capacity, in practice on Wednesday. The Lakers have been without the pair since mid-February, severely limiting their front court depth. Vanderbilt’s recovery process has been monitored far more closely since going down with his midfoot sprain. Ahead of Monday’s Game 2 in Denver, Vanderbilt went through a more exhaustive shootaround, and the team was waiting to see how he responded to it in the hope that he’d be available for Thursday’s game.

Meanwhile, flamengo x fluminense:ꦚa report from Shams Charania of The Athletic forecast Wood's return to the Lakers a bit further out. However, like Vanderbilt, his return is not coming, though he was spotted doing shooting work during▨ practice on Wednesday, suggesting he is close.

The Lakers could still theoretically welcome either of the pair back for Game 4, but a lot could change between now and then. For example, if the Lakers lose Game 3 on Thursday, it’s hard to imagine they would look to integrate new players into the rotation in a do-or-die Game 4 to avoid a second-straight sweep. Even in the scenario where they returned on Thursday, it was always going to be tough to bring them back at this point in the season. The Lakers have zero wiggle room and trying to bring two players, no matter how once impactful they were, right now is asking for things to go awry. It’s an unfortunate situation for the Lakers, who could certainly use the ideal versions of Vando and Wood that they had at points this season. But they were never going to be their best versions in this playoff series and, now, it seems like the Lakers very well may not get any version of them.

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