TITLE: Marcus Smart Urges Lakers to ‘Recalibrate’ After Defensive Collapse Against Spurs
SLUG: marcus-smart-says-lakers-must-recalibrate-after-spurs-loss
CONTENT:
The Los Angeles Lakers surrendered a promising start and fell 113-96 to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2025-26 Emirates Cup quarterfinals on December 10 at Crypto.com Arena. A 23-4 Spurs surge bridging the first and second quarters flipped a two-point Laker advantage into a 17-point hole the home side never escaped.
Veteran guard Marcus Smart, back in uniform after a two-week absence, pointed to the club’s defensive frailty as the decisive factor. “Coming back from the East Coast and a long trip, we just gotta refocus, recalibrate,” Smart said postgame. “Right now we’re kind of groggy and we’re seeing it out there.”
Smart identified two specific shortcomings: on-court communication and transition coverage. “Our lack of communication hurt us,” he explained. “The Spurs do a really good job in the open court; they’ve got one of the fastest players in the league in Fox, so we just didn’t do a good job of getting back and talking to one another.”
The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year stressed that a collective commitment is needed if Los Angeles hopes to regain its early-season form. “We’re gonna have to look ourselves in the mirror and figure out what we want to do—lay down and get punked, or fight back,” Smart said. “I’m not one to lay down.”
Despite the loss, Smart delivered offensively, knocking down eight three-pointers and finishing with 26 points. He said he intends to build on the performance and provide more consistent perimeter shooting moving forward.
The Lakers return to action later this week still searching for answers on a defense that has struggled to contain opposing guards and fast-break opportunities.
Source: Lakers Nation
