The two most important additions for the Los Angeles Lakers last summer were starting center Deandre Ayton and former Defensive Player of the Year guard Marcus Smart. Both came to the Lakers on discount deals after being bought out by their previous teams.
Ayton has been a solid addition for L.A., who was in desperate need of a starting caliber center after the Luka Doncic blockbuster trade. But Smart has been everything the Lakers needed and more as a defensive stopper on the perimeter and an emotional leader through a rollercoaster season. Ayton said as much when discussing Smart.
“Marcus is a true leader,” Ayton said after practice on Monday. “Besides Bron, Luka or AR, Marcus is the guy with the grit. When we feel discombobulated, he tries to be that guy, he’ll put his arms around me, some of the younger guys. Whether or not it’s coming down to the competitiveness, keeping that same consistent edge, Marcus tries to keep that level of intensity pretty high. And it’s contagious, too. Just having that guy who always like he just smelled some salt and he’s ready to go. It’s contagious and we feed off of it as young guys. And we’ve got his back.”
The Lakers likely aren’t still playing basketball this season without Smart. He was integral to keeping the team afloat on both ends of the court when Doncic and Austin Reaves went down with Grade 2 muscle strains. He averaged 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the first round against the Houston Rockets, and added 2.7 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.8% from beyond the arc.
Legitimate questions will be asked of whether that type of production is sustainable from Smart, but it just might be, given that he has answered every call from the Lakers this season.
Marcus Smart praises Deandre Ayton for play in Rockets series
Part of Smart’s incredible leadership is giving younger players praise when it’s warranted or when they need a lift. Smart did so with Ayton after a strong showing from him against the Rockets.
“For me, it’s DA,” Smart said about the difference in the series. “He played his ass off tonight, excuse my language. But he was locked in from the start to the finish. He kept his composure and he really set the tone for us on the defense end and it allowed me to do what I do and everybody else to kind of galvanize and come together and do our thing.”
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