Dave McMenamin
Multiple Authors
LOS ANGELES — The Rockets had Kevin Durant again for Game 2 of their first-round matchup Tuesday. So the Lakers had Marcus Smart guard him of their 101-94 win to take a 2-0 collection lead.
“It was good for them to have KD out there for them,” Smart mentioned, “and it was good for us to be able to do what we did tonight against him.”
Durant returned from a proper knee harm that saved him out of Game 1 to attain 23 factors on 7-for-12 capturing, however he shot 1-for-3 and dedicated three of his playoff career-worst 9 turnovers within the 18 possessions he was defended by Smart, in line with ESPN Research.
“He’s not afraid of the moment,” mentioned LeBron James, who led Los Angeles with 28 factors, eight rebounds and 7 assists. “He’s always been assigned some of the best players that [have] ever played this game in his career. So to have someone like that, it just brings a lot of composure to our team.
“Especially after we’re lacking — I hate to beat a lifeless horse, nevertheless it’s two large horses — with AR [Austin Reaves] and Luka [Doncic] out. So to have that, it means lots to our ballclub.”
As effective as Smart was defensively, grabbing five steals, he was equally important on offense, scoring 25 points on 8-for-13 shooting (5-for-7 from 3) with seven assists.
“Smart, he simply had a killer game at the moment,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
The veteran guard, signed to a two-year, $11 million contract in the offseason after being recruited to Los Angeles by Doncic, was great from the start of Game 2, scoring 14 points in the first quarter.
“He set the tone for us, acquired us going,” mentioned Luke Kennard, who adopted up 27 factors in Game 1 with 23 in Game 2. “And we all know with these guys out, it could possibly be anyone on any given night time proper now.”
Houston, which was held below 100 points for the second straight game and shot 40.4%, cut what was once a 15-point Lakers lead to five with under three minutes remaining.
That was when Smart, fittingly, hit his fifth 3 of the night to put the Lakers back up by eight with 2:23 to go and give them some breathing room.
“He hit an enormous one,” Redick said.
While Redick said before the game that Reaves had started his return-to-play progression, confirming ESPN’s Shams Charania’s report that he began on-court one-on-one workouts as he continues to rehabilitate from a Grade 2 oblique strain that’s kept him out since April 2, the coach did not provide an updated timeline on when Reaves could be back in the lineup.
Redick added that Doncic had yet to begin his return-to-play progression from the Grade 2 left hamstring strain that’s also sidelined him since April 2 and provided no timetable update on the Slovenian star either.
In other words, as the series shifts to Houston for Game 3 on Friday, Smart will still be as important as ever.
“I can take a look at him, and he is aware of what the hell I’m speaking about,” said James, who revealed that his viral meme moment from Game 1 was him making eye contact with Smart to get his attention from across the court. “He can relate to me.”
And Redick said the team can relate to Smart’s will to win.
“Because he has the voice he has, he can assist create the idea and the boldness in our group,” Redick said. “And I believe he is achieved that.”
For Smart, who was named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22 and helped the Boston Celtics make it to the 2022 NBA Finals earlier than two injury-riddled seasons in Memphis and Washington, Game 2 served as a reminder of his capabilities.
“I’m very grateful to be doing this,” Smart said. “I thank God day by day, as a result of I may have been out the league, proper? Injuries and issues like that. So to have the ability to be again on this stage once more, making the performs that I’m making with these guys, with this crew, this group, I’m simply grateful.”
