The Los Angeles Lakers are still flying high after their recent win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Still, they cannot afford to lose focus in the final stretch of the regular season.
In the latest injury report, it was confirmed that the team is nearly full strength against the Thunder, save for one big exception: defensive guard Marcus Smart, who hasn’t played since March 21st against the Magic.
According to the Lakers (via Jovan Buha), Marcus Smart is the only one who is out tomorrow with a right ankle contusion. Everyone else is available to play except for Kobe Bufkin, Dalton Knecht, and Adou Thiero, who are currently with the South Bay Lakers.
As the defending champions, the Thunder are never an easy opponent, and they’ve held the NBA’s best record for most of the 2025-26 campaign. With most of their players cleared for tomorrow, Los Angeles can expect a tough fight that will serve as one of their last major tests of the season. Without Marcus, the matchup only gets harder.
Smart, 32, has been a key member of the Lakers’ rotation, posting his highest minutes per game since his first season with the Grizzlies (2023-24). With averages of 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 39.9% shooting and 33.6% shooting from three, Smart’s overall numbers are fine enough, but it’s his defensive impact that makes the real difference.
As a former Defensive Player of the Year (and three-time All-Defensive player), Smart’s real value is on the perimeter as an on-ball defender. Unlike anyone else on the Lakers, he’s constantly active on the floor and knows how to contest without fouling. That’s why JJ Redick has given him such a prominent role in the rotation, and why his absence leaves them vulnerable in the backcourt.
With no word on when Smart will return (he’s day-to-day), the Lakers will have to rely on their other stars to fill in the gaps and make up for what’s lacking. Fortunately, while defense hasn’t been a strong suit for this team, they’ve been showing some signs of improvement recently that suggest they can hold their own on that end of the floor, even without Marcus.
The biggest factor for the Lakers (besides collective buy-in and effort from the players) is the implementation of zone defense and certain niche tactics, which have been called “gimmicky” at times. Full credit belongs to JJ Redick and his coaching staff, who have consistently found ways to maximize this roster.
Ultimately, with only six games left to play this season, the Lakers are already thinking ahead to the first round, but that doesn’t mean that they can afford to get complacent. To secure the third seed and maximize their playoff odds, they must finish strong and maintain this recent string of dominance. That means giving maximum focus, effort, and availability until the very end.
Smart will return soon enough, and then we can see this Lakers team at its best. In the meantime, it’ll be a “next man up” mentality in that locker room to ensure that the Lakers don’t lose a beat between now and the end of the regular season.
