Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart has defended every superstar in the league over the years, but it appears one stands above the rest when it comes to how challenging it is.
Ahead of the Lakers’ second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Smart praised reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the toughest player to defend.
“Number one,” he said of Gilgeous-Alexander after practice on Monday. “I think we all know that. He does a really good job of getting to the free throw line and he’s mastered it. That’s gonna be a challenge for me. Not just me, but everybody on this team, just making sure we stay out of foul trouble and keep him off the line as much as possible. And then just continue to show your hands. It’s tough, but it can be done. It’s just gonna take a lot of effort from everybody and we gotta stay together.”
Smart also discussed how he is preparing for this matchup and what it takes to slow down the Thunder’s leading scorer.
“You just go out there and play,” Smart added. “When you’ve got two competitors like that, one on the offensive side and one of the defensive side, it definitely makes for a great matchup. But yeah, there’s nothing you really can do. Just got out there and look at the film and try to give up one thing for two things, nothing everything that he’s gonna get, you’re not gonna stop it all. But just do you best to make every bucket and every possession for him as tough as possible.”
Smart will get the assignment on Gilgeous-Alexander to start the series, but it certainly will take a group effort from the Lakers to slow him down.
Marcus Smart: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is three-level scorer
According to Smart, part of what makes Gilgeous-Alexander so great is his ability to scorer from all three levels of the court.
“He’s an MVP, right? We know it. He’s been doing this for a while now. We know what he’s capable of and it makes his very dangerous to be that type of three-level scorer,” Smart said. “It definitely brings its own challenges but like I said, you’re not gonna be able to win every battle, you’re not gonna stop everything or slow everything down. You gotta be willing to give up something and you gotta pick your poison.”
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