Marcus Smart addressed the Lakers’ struggles following a 103-88 loss to the Clippers at Intuit Dome on Saturday.
On the team’s offensive difficulties, Smart said, “It’s part of the game. You just got to find a way to put the ball in the hoop. That means putting more pressure on the defense to get a stop or just find a way. But it’s games that happen. You got to be able to move on. Can’t get too high, can’t get too low.”
Smart also discussed the physical toll of his defensive role. “For sure do. I got the wind knocked out of me on the Kawhi charge. But that’s what I do. I sacrifice my body for the betterment of the team, my teammates. I’ll be all right. You get used to it from your brothers when you’re growing up.”
Regarding offensive responsibilities in Doncic’s absence, he explained, “I wouldn’t say more. I just say more detailed on the offensive end. Luka is so talented in the way that he creates not only for others but for himself. We have to be a little more detailed out there, play together. It’s not going to be as much one-on-ones, moving the ball and taking advantage of what the defense gives us.”
Smart also spoke about the frustration with officiating and replay consistency. “Just the consistency. We understand that, no one, not us, not the officials, are perfect. We just expect consistency and that’s it. That’s the biggest part for any player in this league when you talk about officiating.”
He continued, “Even in the Utah game, I went up at the beginning as a captain. The captain should be able to come talk to [the officials]. They still don’t want to hear it. Control what you can control. They don’t want to talk, you try and move on. But it is very definitely frustrating when you pour your heart out to this game and the feedback is literally waving you off, telling you to get out of your face and then giving you a tag because you’re asking a question.”
On handling the lack of communication from referees, Smart added, “Sometimes you got to take the hit to get your point across. They’re going to find you regardless. What’s the point of us calling to talk about a situation when your mind’s already made up? So, like, why even talk?”
Despite his defensive efforts, the Lakers were unable to overcome Kawhi Leonard’s 32 points and the Clippers’ efficient shooting. Los Angeles missed 32 three-pointers, with Smart going 0-for-9, while injuries to Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura compounded their offensive struggles.
The Lakers will travel to Phoenix on Tuesday to finish their eight-game road trip, seeking a rebound after back-to-back tough losses.
