JJ Redick had conversation with Marcus Smart about his importance to team prior to playoffs

When a team is shorthanded like the Lakers are, the only way to not only survive but thrive is for everyone who is available to step up.

The Lakers have gotten that during this postseason from Marcus Smart.

Advertisement

One of the ways he’s stepped up is as a vocal leader. As a 12-year veteran and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, Smart is well-respected not just in the Lakers’ locker room but across the NBA. Whenever Smart talks, players listen.

When the Lakers lost Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, they not only had to play without their two best players but were suddenly down a pair of leaders.

Smart has helped fill the void they’ve left and is now an even more prominent floor general for the purple and gold. And it’s a big reason why the Lakers have been able to protect home court in this first-round matchup.

This elevation in leadership from Smart this postseason is a combination of him understanding the situation and Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaking with him before this series even began.

Advertisement

After LA’s Game 2 win over Houston, Redick didn’t delve into the details of his talk with Smart, but he did stress how important he is to the Lakers’ success.

“Him and I had a conversation coming off those three losses…in San Francisco,” Redick said. “I’m not going to share the details, but the biggest thing was just he, because he has the voice he has, he can help create the belief and the confidence in our group. I think he’s done that.”

Smart’s already a starter when the team is fully healthy, so his adding more of his voice while key players are out has been crucial. This is the playoffs, and even with a less-than-full roster, it is an opportunity to go after the ultimate goal: the NBA title.

Smart knows better than most how rare these chances are. Injuries disrupted his career, and he went from playoff-contending teams in Boston to a struggling franchise in Memphis and a tanking one in Washington.

Advertisement

Now he’s back to playing important games in the playoffs, and he’s not just grateful, but seizing the moment.

“Me and JJ, we talk all the time, right,” Smart…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/jj-redick-had-conversation-marcus-022408237.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-04-23 02:24:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.