On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered their first preseason defeat on the second night of a road back-to-back against the Golden State Warriors.
Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, and Arthur Kaluma all sat out with minor injuries as a depleted Lakers team fell 124-98.
Their absences created opportunities for several fringe players and developmental prospects, including Adou Thiero, who finished with seven points and four rebounds on 3-of-6 shooting.
However, one awkward moment involving the second-year forward briefly gave the Lakers another injury concern.
Lakers Receive Good News After Thiero Injury Scare
Thiero moved into the starting lineup against Golden State and flashed his trademark athleticism midway through the second quarter with a breakaway dunk.
Upon landing, however, the 22-year-old came down awkwardly on his right leg, immediately raising concerns that he may have suffered an injury.
Fortunately for the Lakers, those fears were quickly eased.
Thiero spoke to reporters after the game and confirmed that he escaped the “scary” landing without an injury.
“It was awkward, but I’m fine coming out of it,” he said, via Lakers Nation. “Definitely will be better about it, but there’s some situations where it’s difficult to worry about the landing.”
Elsewhere, Lakers newcomer Sandro Mamukelashvili led the team with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including an impressive 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
Jaden Hardy added 13 points, while Quentin Grimes and Dalton Knecht finished with 12 and 11, respectively.
Thiero played 16 minutes after logging 17 in the Lakers’ preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings one night earlier.
In that victory, the 6-foot-8 forward recorded three points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Heading into his second season, there is growing belief that Thiero could take another significant step in his development and push for a more meaningful NBA role after an injury-disrupted rookie campaign.
Thiero Looking to Build on Breakout Summer League
Thiero missed the entire 2025 Summer League after suffering a knee injury at Arkansas that eventually required surgery, delaying the start of his professional career.
He later sustained an MCL sprain, further limiting his opportunities to establish himself within the Lakers’ rotation.
Much of his development instead came with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, where Thiero gradually gained confidence and expanded his all-around game.
That progress became increasingly apparent during the 2026 Summer League, when he showcased the athleticism, defensive versatility, and two-way upside that initially made him such an intriguing prospect.
Across seven appearances, including two games at the California Classic and five in Las Vegas, Thiero averaged 14.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.1 steals while shooting 48.5% from the field.
One of his strongest performances came in a July 10 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Thiero scored 20 points and threw down four of his trademark high-flying dunks, including a spectacular breakaway windmill slam in the second quarter.
He also contributed four rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks in 30 minutes, finishing with a team-best plus-13 without committing a turnover.
Standing 6-foot-8 with a seven-foot wingspan, Thiero possesses the combination of size, athleticism, and defensive versatility that could eventually earn him a regular place in the Lakers’ rotation.
After injuries disrupted much of his rookie campaign, simply staying healthy will be an important part of that progression.
Tuesday’s awkward landing provided a brief scare, but Thiero’s immediate confirmation that he avoided injury allows him to continue building on the momentum generated through the G League, Summer League, and the opening stages of preseason.
Lakers Receive Good News After Injury Scare With Rising Young Standout