The Los Angeles Lakers went into Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder as underdogs, but were promptly dispatched by the defending champions. In response to JJ Redick‘s earlier comments on the Lakers’ poor record against OKC, Marcus Smart shared a blunt statement after the game.
The Lakers suffered a 108-90 blowout loss to the Thunder in Game 1. Although Redick had been kind enough to admit that the Purple and Gold “sucked” against the Thunder in the regular season, during his postgame press conference, Marcus Smart didn’t hold his punches, stating:
“JJ’s been nice. We were a–.”
Smart’s short and curt response perfectly captures the Lakers’ tribulations in the first game of the semifinals.
There was a general expectation that the Purple and Gold would be perceived as the weaker team going into the matchup. Barring OKC’s home-court advantage and the ample rest they had before the game, the Thunder had dominated the Lakers during the regular season, sweeping them 4-0 and even beating them by 30+ points on three separate occasions.
During his pre-game press conference, JJ Redick noted the team’s poor outings, but remained confident in their ability to execute. Unfortunately, this did not come to pass on Tuesday night.
Although L.A. did a stellar job of defending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, which could be credited to Marcus Smart’s persistent effort, the team struggled to get going offensively.
Having shot 35-85 (~41%) from the field and 10-30 (~33%) from three-point range, Los Angeles found themselves playing catch-up throughout the game.
Marcus Smart On Guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Facing the Oklahoma City Thunder is undoubtedly the biggest test of the Lakers’ competency as a team this season. Although the Purple and Gold are facing the best team in the West with a shorthanded rotation, they are expected to rely on whoever is available.
On that note, players like Marcus Smart remain vital. As a vocal leader and the team’s defensive anchor, Smart has been crucial to the Lakers’ success. While addressing his role as the primary marker on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Smart stated:
“Shai’s a really good player, and he demands that respect. When you don’t, he makes you pay. I’m a great defender. The league knows it. My teammates and everybody know it. But he’s a great player, and it’s going to take all five of us and everybody who’s out there. Not just me.”
“At the end of the day, this ain’t ain’t about how I feel, right? It ain’t about my ego, about, ‘I’m the best defender, and I need to show it.’ No. I’m trying to win a game. My job is to do what I can to help the team, and that’s to make sure that their star player doesn’t kill us.”
Marcus Smart had to acknowledge Gilgeous-Alexander’s status as a superstar and his offensive ability. However, even in the face of such odds, Smart noted that his job was to make life as difficult as possible for the Thunder superstar.
For the most part, Smart and the Lakers succeeded in containing Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 18 points – his first time scoring under 20 points this season.
Although the eventual outcome wasn’t in the Lakers’ favor, this small victory could help formulate a winning strategy in Game 2.
