Marcus Smart has been a below average shooter from beyond the arc for the totality of his NBA career. Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Lakers, they need him to change that fact about himself if they are going to have any hope of making a splash during the 2026 playoffs.
The good news? The month of March has been kind to the Lakers veteran. Smart shot 3-of-5 from deep to open the month on March 1. March 5 against the Denver Nuggets was a 3-of-6 shooting night from distance. March 6 featured 3-of-4 dropping in the 3-point department versus the Indiana Pacers. That was all topped off with a 5-of-12 performance in the Nuggets rematch on March 14.
Smart is stroking it during this calendar month. It has made an already valuable contributor that much more impactful for the Lakers.
Los Angeles will need players who are not just their three main stars to step up in the spring if they want to make any type of noteworthy noise in the postseason. With Smart's growing importance to the Lakers, the veteran guard must be a primary source of dependability from the supporting acts.
Marcus Smart needs to be a two-way force for the Lakers to contend
Here's a (not so) groundbreaking thought for the year 2026: spacing is important. Before the All-Star break, the Lakers were one of the worst teams in the NBA in that department. They ranked 20th in the league when it came to 3-point percentage.
Adding Luke Kennard went a long way toward improving the Lakers in that area. The hot streak from Smart is certainly helping too. That is especially true when the latter is exceeding the former in the volume of attempts per game.
Teams are going to feel fine leaving Smart open and taking their chances, given his career credentials. That is something Bill Simmons discussed during a recent episode of his podcast.
"He's just the guy they are going to leave open," Simmons said of Smart. "These games come down to whether he can hit that shot or not."
Smart needs to make defenses pay.
Permanently taking over the final starting spot from Rui Hachimura was one of the major moves that helped the Lakers stabilize their defense. It also put a ton of pressure on him to serve as an outlet for the playmaking of the stars around him. That will continue to be the case.
For as great as Smart has been, the Lakers would love to have a more reliable marksman who can also play the defensive end at his spot in the starting lineup. That is something they will prioritize in the offseason. Until then, Smart will face the pressure of being that guy for Los Angeles.