The Los Angeles Lakers announced that Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) and Jaxson Hayes (left foot soreness) are out on Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors.
Smart has missed the last eight games while dealing with an ankle injury he suffered in the team’s victory over the Orlando Magic on March 21. He was originally upgraded to questionable for the matchup with the Warriors before eventually being ruled out for a ninth straight game.
Considering it is the first night of a back-to-back, it’s possible that the Lakers are saving Smart and Hayes for Friday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, although that ultimately remains to be seen.
Smart has been an extremely important piece of the Lakers’ success this season, especially since he entered the starting lineup. He is the focal point of the team’s defensive attack and his energy truly lifts everyone else, not to mention his ability to operate as another ball-handler and creator on offense. That role is even more important now with both Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique injury) out for the rest of the regular season.
While his numbers won’t jump off the page many nights, Smart has had a massive impact on this team and his return is greatly needed as the Lakers try and pull together with their two leading scorers gone.
One positive for the Lakers is that LeBron James is available for the contest against the Warriors. But he and Stephen Curry won’t be adding another chapter to their rivalry as the Warriors guard will sit out the game after just returning to the lineup from a right knee injury that kept him out since January.
In the absence of Smart, Doncic and Reaves, Luke Kennard who has seen a much increased on-ball role. He has actually done well operating as a playmaker, and that will continue alongside James with Smart still out for at least one more game.
It will also be interesting to see how head coach JJ Redick adjusts his backcourt rotation with so many guys out. Bronny James, Adou Thiero, Nick Smith Jr., Dalton Knecht and Kobe Bufkin have all gotten opportunities to step up for this Lakers team, but with the postseason around the corner, Redick could start tightening up that rotation and who emerges as the preferred options is still unknown.
JJ Redick focused on finding players ‘all in’ on fighting for Lakers
Redick must figure out some way for the Lakers to survive and hopefully thrive in the postseason despite the bad luck with injuries and with just a couple of regular season games remaining, he is focused on finding the guys who will be all-in on fighting for this team in the playoffs.
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