Marcus Smart did not hide the emotional weight of the Los Angeles Lakers’ season-ending loss as he stepped to the podium alongside Austin Reaves after a 115-110 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.
The veteran guard pointed to resilience as the defining trait of a season that ended with a second-round sweep. “We got a guy like that and a team like that, they’ve seen a lot,” Smart said when reflecting on Oklahoma City’s execution in the series.
He acknowledged the Thunder’s adjustment and composure late in the game while also emphasizing how Los Angeles responded under pressure. “They did a very good job adjusting,” Smart said. “But for us, I’m proud of this team. Proud the way we fought.”
The Lakers briefly pushed the series to its most competitive stretch in Game 4, taking a late lead before Chet Holmgren’s go-ahead dunk with 32.8 seconds remaining shifted control back to Oklahoma City. Smart highlighted that sequence as part of the difference in a tightly contested finish.
“I think we did that tonight,” Smart said about the team’s effort. “The outcome, result wasn’t the way we wanted, but we went down swinging and that’s all you can ask for.”
Los Angeles entered the playoffs as a lower-seeded team after a turbulent stretch that included injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Smart referenced those challenges when describing the group’s mentality. “Plenty times in this season where we could have gave up,” he said. “Everybody count us out and we understood.”
The Lakers fought back multiple times in the series, including a late Game 4 lead built through aggressive shot creation from Reaves and Rui Hachimura. However, Oklahoma City’s defensive pressure and late-game execution ultimately sealed the sweep.
Smart also framed the matchup within the context of facing a top-tier opponent led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “You playing the defending champs, right, with probably a two-time MVP,” he said. “Shai’s probably going to get it again, right? They got a great supporting cast behind them.”
The guard credited Oklahoma City’s structure and consistency throughout the series. The Thunder finished the matchup having won eight straight games against the Lakers this season, including the regular season and playoffs combined.
Despite the result, Smart reiterated pride in how the Lakers responded during adversity. “We just wanted to keep going and fight,” he said. “And I think we did that tonight.”
The loss ends Los Angeles’ season after reaching the second round but falling short of the Western Conference Finals for a third consecutive year. Oklahoma City advances to the conference finals after completing an 8-0 postseason start.
