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Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick gestures from the sideline during a game, as questions emerge surrounding Austin Reaves’ MRI and injury timeline.
The LA Lakers struggled to get their groove offensively in their 108-90 loss in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the OKC Thunder.
In the game, Luka Doncic, who averaged 33.5 points per game in the regular season, remained on the sidelines as the Lakers looked for offensive options outside the likes of LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
One of them was Marcus Smart, yet his shooting abandoned him in the series opener. He attempted 15 field goals and only made four of them to finish with just 12 points, four rebounds, and seven assists as the team’s starting point guard.
For former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, Smart should not have been shooting that much in a playoff game. Instead, he should have focused on providing quality defensive minutes.
“Is it in the contract where everybody has to play in the game, and everybody has to shoot? Is this like AAU? Because why is he taking 15 shots?” Arena said of Smart in the Gil’s Arena Show.
“He didn’t do that in Memphis, why are you coming to LA and thinking you’re him now?… If you make your first shot, you get to shoot another one; if you miss that one get a fast break layup. Either you’re 2-for-2, 1-for-3, that’s it, no more. Like, where’s the day where the star, the best player, is taking half of the shots? That was winning, right? That’s when players were winning.”
Gilbert Arenas says Marcus Smart is shooting the ball too much:
“Is it in the contract where everybody has to play in the game and everybody has to shoot is this like AAU? Because why is he taking 15 shots here he didn’t do that in Memphis why you coming to LA and thinking you
James, who is 41 years old, led the Lakers in Game 1 with 27 points on an efficient 12-for-17 shooting from the field, alongside four rebounds and six assists. James was followed by Rui Hachimura, who had 18 points, filling the offensive void left by Austin Reaves, who shot 3-of-16 from the field and finished with eight points.
Smart, a former Defensive Player of the Year, logged 32 minutes in Game 1 and defended Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in most stretches, holding him to just 18 points, his lowest scoring output since last year’s Western Conference Finals.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart explains his mindset after Game 1 loss.
Marcus Smart’s confidence remained confident even after a rough Game 1 by the Lakers. Smart felt that the Lakers accomplished numerous things in the series opener.
“We started off great. We were doing very well, we were in the game,” he said. “We held them to 101 or 105-ish before late in the end. You know we’re playing the defending champs, it’s going to be tough. They’re going to make some tough shots, some tough plays, we just can’t let that derail us right? We gotta stay with it.”
The Lakers double-teamed Gilgeous-Alexander for the entirety of the game, forcing other Thunder players to navigate their offense. It worked out well for the Thunder as they enjoyed open shots, benefitting the likes of Chet Holmgren, who had 24 points, and Ajay Mitchell, who put up 18.
However, that defensive plan could pay dividends in the series, where the Thunder is missing its secondary star, Jalen Williams.
GettyOklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James clash.
Game 2 is set to be a crucial one for the Lakers as they look to avoid a 0-2 deficit and potentially carry a much-needed momentum before Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles.
However, it is still a tall task for the Lakers as the Thunder has yet to lose a game in the postseason.
Game 2 will be on Thursday, May 7, in Oklahoma City.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo
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