TITLE: Marcus Smart Still Listed Day-to-Day; Lakers Aim for Guard’s Return in NBA Cup Quarterfinal
SLUG: lakers-marcus-smart-day-to-day-spurs-return-hope
CONTENT:
Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart remains on a day-to-day schedule as he works back from a lingering back issue, head coach JJ Redick said Sunday before the team faced the Philadelphia 76ers.
Smart, 31, has missed the past six games with what the club first labeled back spasms and later identified as a left lumbar muscle strain. Although an MRI showed no structural damage, the Lakers have opted for caution after the veteran missed significant time over the previous two seasons.
Redick told reporters he is “hopeful” Smart will be cleared for Wednesday’s matchup with the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena. That contest serves as the quarterfinal round of the inaugural Emirates NBA Cup.
“The hope is that he’ll be available for Wednesday,” Redick said, according to Southern California News Group reporter Khobi Price.
Should Los Angeles advance past San Antonio, the club would travel to Las Vegas for a semifinal scheduled Saturday. Smart’s return would bolster a defense that has struggled without his perimeter presence.
Veteran cites resilience behind early success
Before his injury, Smart credited the Lakers’ better-than-expected start to what he called the team’s “resilience.”
“It’s something new every game for us,” the guard said earlier this season. “We have vets who control the tempo, the tempers and the emotions to make sure we get the job done. We’re going to shoot better—we work too hard not to—so we’ve just got to keep shooting.”
The Lakers will update Smart’s status again following Monday’s practice.
Source: LakersNation.com
