Marcus Smart emphasized the importance of sticking to the game plan after the Los Angeles Lakers held off a late rally to defeat the Utah Jazz 108-106 at Delta Center on Sunday.
“Through the chaos, we had to stick with our game plan and continue to make the right reads. We did enough to survive,” Smart said, reflecting on the team’s ability to close out a tight game.
Smart praised the Lakers’ adaptability, citing the team’s 8-2 road record despite rotating lineups. “Everybody’s work ethic, being ready, and expecting the unexpected has been key,” he said.
On the game’s final defensive possession, Smart described his approach: “I just did what I’ve been doing for 12 years, got to the body, and he tried to draw a foul. Nurkic set a physical screen, and the officials let us play, so that was it.”
The veteran guard also stressed the team’s resilience amid shooting struggles. “We’re winning games even with shooting woes. We have vets controlling tempo and emotions, and once we get back on track, those things get cleaned up along with our shooting,” Smart said.
The Lakers overcame a third-quarter Utah surge, where the Jazz went on a 16-2 run to briefly take a 74-69 lead. Luka Doncic’s 3-pointer sparked a 13-0 Lakers run that put Los Angeles ahead 98-85 with 6:06 remaining, securing a decisive advantage.
LeBron James added 17 points and eight assists, while Austin Reaves contributed 22 points and Rui Hachimura scored 13, helping the Lakers extend their winning streak to four games and improve to 12-4 overall.
Maxi Kleber’s late dunk marked his 1,000th career field goal and helped seal the win against Lauri Markkanen’s 12 fourth-quarter points. Utah’s Keyonte George led his team with 27 points and eight assists, but the Jazz fell to 5-11.
The Lakers will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, while Utah heads to Golden State on Monday.
