Marcus Smart's motto, "The toughest team sets the rules," was on full display in the Los Angeles Lakers 101-94 Game 2 win over the Houston Rockets.
In Game 1 against the Rockets, it was his hustle plays, defense, communication, and ability to get Deandre Ayton going that made Smart such a crucial piece to LA's win. In Game 2, it was the way he set the tone from the opening tip, by being physical and competitive.
In the first few minutes of the game, Smart was hitting triples, giving Kevin Durant hell, setting up his teammates, and sacrificing his body to make winning plays.
The playoffs are all about throwing the first punch, and Smart did exactly that for LA, hitting Houston with an uppercut right to the chin in the game-opening quarter. The former Defensive Player of the Year finished the first frame with 14 points, one rebound, one assist, two steals, and went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. This hot start from Smart appeared to give the rest of the Lakers a much-needed boost as the combination of big 3s, scrappy defense, and overall intensity inspired LA.
Smart didn't just set the tone; he also sealed the game with a big-time clutch 3-pointer with just over two minutes to play, shutting the door on the Rockets.
Marcus Smart embodies a tone-setter perfectly for the Lakers
When at full strength, the Lakers have to look no further than Luka Doncic to establish how the game's going to go for LA. With him and Austin Reaves both out, someone needed to step up.
While that person is typically LeBron James, seeing Smart slot in and put the Superman cape on was huge for this Lakers team. He finished the night with 25 points, two rebounds, seven assists, five steals, and one block while shooting 61.5 percent from the field and knocking down five from deep.
This hot start didn't just trail off. While Smart's scoring role took a step back as the game progressed, his defensive intensity only turned up.
Down the stretch, Smart was all in KD's grill, trapping him and making Durant look like a shell of himself. Three of Smart's five steals were a product of him locking up KD and forcing arguably the greatest scorer ever into unideal scenarios.
The 6-foot-3 guard showed zero fear. That mentality rubbed off on the rest of the team defensively, resulting in Durant's 1-of-5 shooting in the second half.
Marcus Smart’s handprints have been all over both of the first two games of this round-one series. If Game 2 showed anything, they won’t be coming off anytime soon.
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