Marcus Smart did not hold back after the Los Angeles Lakers were embarrassed by the Phoenix Suns in a 132-108 blowout loss. The score told one story, but Smart’s message went deeper than any box score. To him, the issue was not percentages, analytics, or bad shooting nights. It was about a mindset. Every single opponent circles the game when they have to play the Lakers, and they give it their all.
And after the loss, Smart made it clear that the team is not bringing that energy.
“It doesn’t matter what the percentages say, it doesn’t matter what the numbers say, you can’t go by that. We gotta go by understanding that we wear the Lakers across our jersey and everybody’s coming to try to kill us.”
Against the Suns, the Lakers just did not look ready. The game was all but over by the third quarter, as they dropped 45 points in 12 minutes. The Lakers never got back or even tried to slow the momentum. And for a player like Smart, that was unacceptable.
LeBron James and Austin Reaves both had respectable performances, but Smart’s message was clear. Talent alone does not scare teams anymore. Teams today are a lot younger, athletic, faster, and they are not scared of big names.
Smart’s comments lined up with what head coach JJ Redick was fuming about. Redick admitted the team does not have enough players who choose to play hard every night. That is a brutal statement, coming from your own head coach. There is no scheme or strategy that fixes effort.
The Lakers are still in a strong position as they still sit 4th in the West with a 19-9 record, but they have lost five out of the last 10 games. And all those five losses have been blowouts. These kind of games exposes habits more than close games ever will.
The Lakers are still in a strong position in the standings, but cracks are starting to show. Blowout losses tend to expose habits more than close games ever will. Smart understands this from experience. Championship teams develop an identity long before the playoffs. They show up when tired and respond when embarrassed. And they do not rely on the scoreboard to dictate intensity.
For a franchise like the Los Angeles Lakers, every game is a measuring stick for the opponent. If the Lakers are not ready to be hunted every night, the league will keep taking pieces out of them one game at a time.
The loss to the Phoenix Suns should not just sting. It should serve as a reminder. Being the Lakers is not protection; it is a target.
