Jan. 25, 2026, 7:12 p.m. PT
Guard Marcus Smart has seemed a bit inconsistent this season for the Los Angeles Lakers, but on Saturday, he came up big on both ends of the floor in a win over the Dallas Mavericks.
His shooting accuracy has been erratic at times, and while he shot 4-of-10 from the field on Saturday, he scored two key baskets, got three offensive rebounds and made big defensive plays during the fourth period. As a result, the Lakers overcame a 102-87 deficit with just under seven minutes left to achieve a 116-110 win.
Smart had to overcome a gruesome injury that some may not have noticed during the game. Per Mike Trudell, his right index finger, which he needed to have a procedure on last summer, popped out of place, but in order to keep playing, he simply popped it back in.
This was almost reminiscent of the late great Kobe Bryant, who once suffered a dislocated finger during the game and simply had it popped back in and continued playing.
If the Lakers are to overcome their recent woes and make a sincere run this spring in the NBA playoffs, Smart will be a sizable part of it. As a member of the Boston Celtics during his first nine seasons in the league, he reached the Eastern Conference finals five times and the NBA Finals once, so he knows how to get things done on a big stage.
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Los Angeles will need the former 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year to shine brightly, especially given their much-documented defensive woes.