Marcus Smart Says Lakers Must “Set the Rules” Through Physical Play
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New Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart outlined his approach to bringing toughness to the roster, saying the team that controls the game’s physicality “sets the rules.”
Smart, 31, joined the Lakers this summer on a two-year, $10.5 million contract after reaching a buyout with the Washington Wizards. The 2021–22 Defensive Player of the Year was signed to bolster perimeter defense and add grit that has been missing since the club’s 2021 trade for Russell Westbrook.
Speaking after practice on Thursday, Smart stressed that establishing a hard-nosed style starts with his own effort. “It’s kind of hard to put that fight in your guys when you’re not out there doing it,” he said. “If I want someone else to follow my lead, I have to lead by example.”
The Lakers dropped their season opener to the Golden State Warriors, a game Smart viewed as the first step toward redefining the team’s identity. “We wanted to establish our physicality at the start of the game,” he noted. “That’s something we were missing last year. Fouls were called, but that’s part of the game.”
Smart’s motto, refined over 12 NBA seasons, is simple: “The toughest team sets the rules.” He believes the Lakers must embody that mindset from tip-off to final horn.
The next test comes Friday night, when Los Angeles hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves—the club that ousted the Lakers in the first round of last season’s playoffs. Head coach JJ Redick said earlier this week that the rematch offers a chance to address regrets from that five-game series loss.
Smart expects physical play to remain the foundation. “We want to be the toughest team from start to end,” he said.
Source: Lakers Nation
