The Los Angeles Lakers kicked off their eight-game road trip with a big victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night and veteran Marcus Smart played a huge role in the comeback effort.
Smart scored all 15 of his points in the second half, knocking down multiple 3-pointers while also playing a big role in the Lakers limiting Jamal Murray to just two points after halftime.
It was an important win for the Lakers, who won’t return home until Feb. 5, which also happens to be the NBA trade deadline. This means that when the Lakers host the Philadelphia 76ers that night, there could very well be a different roster with some players traded away, and the looming threat of being moved can be difficult for some players to handle.
Smart spoke on this after the Lakers’ victory, noting how tough it is that you or a teammate you are close with could be gone any day. But ultimately that is part of the business and he and the rest of the team must handle it like professionals, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“I mean, it’s part of the business, unfortunately. A lot of us have been through this multiple years so you kind of get used to it. But it is difficult for certain people. Because you just don’t know, you build a relationship with the guy to the left and to the right, and then he could possibly be gone. Or you could possibly be gone. So it’s tough, but we’re all professionals and that’s part of the business. This stretch has been crazy for us and we haven’t been doing a very good job winning the games that we think we should. So for us, this [road trip] will definitely be a good challenge for us to get back on track.”
This is truly one of the things that only athletes have to deal with. At the drop of a dime, a player could have to uproot their life and family to a different city. That is the reality and Smart understands that, but it also doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.
As Smart noted, the Lakers have struggled recently and the rumor mill has been churning about potential moves this team could make. It’s impossible for the players to not hear these things, but perhaps the Lakers being on the road is what they need to help them come together and focus on winning these game amidst the uncertainty.
Lakers’ Austin Reaves expected to return during road trip
Something else that could help the Lakers is the return of guard Austin Reaves, who is expected to be back in uniform at some point during this road trip.
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