Marcus Smart said the Los Angeles Lakers’ 107-98 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 felt like the kind of playoff test that reveals a team’s identity. After the opener at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday, the veteran guard said the moment felt different in the best way.
“Felt good,” Smart said of returning to playoff basketball. “Definitely felt like a slight new feeling for me. Just getting back in that mentality, that zone, but definitely felt good to be back out there.”
Smart finished with 15 points, eight assists and four 3-pointers, giving the short-handed Lakers another stabilizing presence alongside LeBron James and Luke Kennard. Los Angeles also got 19 points and 11 rebounds from Deandre Ayton, while James posted 19 points and 13 assists.
The Lakers were without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, both sidelined indefinitely, but Smart said the roster responded with the kind of balance the staff had emphasized all week.
“We just showed it,” Smart said. “Every starter in double digits, our bench doing what they do, but I think it was never just one person at a time. We tried to play through the hot guy at the time and then just make the right plays.”
He admitted there were still mistakes to clean up, pointing to the Lakers’ 21 turnovers. “Obviously we can be better,” Smart said. “I had five of myself.”
Smart said his role expanded because the Lakers were short on ball handlers. “For me to be able to play those positions with the guys out there, to have Luke take over with some of the ball handling, have LeBron, I think that shows right there the collectiveness that we are together.”
For Smart, the biggest takeaway was not just the scoring distribution. It was the way Los Angeles handled the game’s physical swings against a Houston team that thrives on disruption.
“Just our ability to stay poised,” Smart said. “You’re playing against a really good team out there who does a really good job of mucking up the game and seeing who’s the toughest team.”
“It got a little chippy out there,” he added. “A couple technicals called. And for me and for this team to be able to stay as poised as we did, I think that was the part for me that really stood out.”
Smart also pointed to James’ decision-making as a tone-setter. “He picks and chooses when to exert energy,” Smart said. “The word we using now is elevate. He elevates us.”
The Lakers outshot Houston 60.6% to 37.6% and won despite taking just 66 field-goal attempts, the fewest in an NBA game over the past three seasons. Smart said that kind of win fits the team’s playoff mindset.
“We’re in the same scenario here,” he said. “Our two best players get hurt and we got to show how resilient we are.”
