LOS ANGELES — Veteran guard Marcus Smart, four years removed from his NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, is thriving in his first postseason with the Los Angeles Lakers after injuries and trades limited him to 54 appearances and no playoff games over the previous two seasons.
Smart, 32, has totaled 40 points, 15 assists and six steals in the opening two contests of the first-round series against the Houston Rockets. The Lakers hold a 2-0 lead as the matchup shifts to Toyota Center on Thursday.
“For me, it’s very important. I’m very grateful to be doing this,” Smart said after Los Angeles’ 116-104 Game 2 victory on April 21 at Crypto.com Arena. “I thank God every day, because I could’ve been out of the league, right? Injuries and things like that. So to be able to be back on this stage again, making the plays that I’m making with these guys, with this team, this organization, I’m just grateful.”
Signed last offseason, Smart has filled a critical void with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves sidelined, anchoring the perimeter defense and serving as the club’s vocal leader. Head coach Darvin Ham has repeatedly credited Smart’s intensity for stabilizing the lineup.
LeBron James, now in his 23rd NBA campaign, noted the on-court chemistry he has developed with the former longtime Boston Celtics rival. “His energy is contagious,” James said, adding that Smart’s playmaking has eased the scoring burden created by the late-season injuries to Dončić and Reaves.
Los Angeles will lean on Smart as it tries to close out Houston and advance beyond the first round for the first time since its 2023 championship run.
Source: Lakers Nation
