Marcus Smart addressed the Lakers’ 112-104 loss to the Clippers on Thursday, focusing on offensive execution and team trust.
“As of right now, yeah, it is. The same thing keeps happening. We just got to figure it out,” Smart said when asked about repeated slow starts.
The Lakers’ offense has struggled to complement their defense, according to Smart. “It’s just our offense is not helping our defense at all. When we move the ball, great things happen for us. We either scored or assisted on the play.”
Smart highlighted trust and ball movement as key issues. “We just got to figure out a way to trust one another with the pass, without the pass on the defensive end, on the offensive end, and just play like we did in the second half, 48 minutes.”
Despite the challenges, he acknowledged the team’s potential when executing together. “When you play defense the way we did in the second half, it is an indication of how good we can be overall as a team.”
The upcoming trade deadline adds another layer of complexity for the Lakers. “It is a little tough. You got guys fighting for contracts, fighting to stay on the team, and others who are secure. It does make things a little harder, but we are professionals and got to do our job no matter what,” Smart explained.
He also expressed the team’s need for Austin Reaves. “We miss Austin a lot. He was a big piece for us, just the things that he brings to this game. We’re definitely looking forward to having him back.”
Smart reflected on the intensity of playing in Los Angeles. “You got two LA teams, trying to claim the spot, so it’s always going to be a little spicy. It’s part of it. That’s what the fans come to pay for. It makes the game very, very entertaining.”
Thursday’s defeat saw Luka Doncic lead the Lakers with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, while LeBron James added 23 points. The Clippers, paced by Kawhi Leonard’s 24 points, held off a late Lakers rally to win 112-104 at the Intuit Dome.
The loss drops Los Angeles to 26-17 in the Western Conference, while the Clippers improve to 20-24, marking their seventh win in eight games. The Lakers will visit the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday to begin a six-game road trip.
