The Houston Rockets were 27.8 seconds from getting back into their Western Conference quarterfinals series against the Los Angeles Lakers, having overcome a 15-point first-half deficit.
But like moviegoers waiting for an MCU post-credit scene, Lakers guard Marcus Smart was hanging around in case the perturbed Rockets wanted to donate a clutch time game in Choke City. Rockets power forward Jabari Smith Jr., an unnatural ball handler, felt sped up as the Houston bench was imploring him to get the ball across half court. Smart was the only defender in the backcourt, but as Smith lofted a pass to Amen Thompson, Smart intercepted the lollipop.
Smart’s work wasn’t done, though, with his team down by two possessions. He took two dribbles and was able to draw a foul on Rockets reserve Jae’Sean Tate, who was only in the game for defensive purposes and because Rockets All-Star Kevin Durant was not dressed due to a left ankle sprain. Smart made all three free throws, making it a one-possession game as the first act toward the Rockets’ collapsing into overtime.
The second act would start when Lakers All-Star LeBron James stole Reed Sheppard’s backcourt dribble and wound up with a game-tying 3 on the ensuing possession to erase Houston’s final lead of the game.
“Just make a play — my instincts, right?” Smart said of his steal that ultimately put the Lakers in position to abscond with a 112-108 Game 3 overtime win in Houston, giving the Lakers a 3-0 series lead and a chance to sweep Sunday at Toyota Center.
“We knew that they were going to try to ice the game, right? And we needed to make a play. And just using my instincts. Jabari Smith, I think it was him who made the pass. And I just kind of stunted to see what he does. He picked his dribble up, and then now he’s in no-man’s-land, and he threw a loft pass for me to recover and I got it. And I looked up at the clock, I seen Tate running really fast. And I’m like, ‘OK, he’s probably not going to be able to stop in time.’ So I just pulled up right away, and he ran right under me, exactly what happened.
“So it was a smart play. That’s part of being a vet, my vet savvy. Been in the league for 12 years. I picked up some tricks from some guys, right?”
Once the game got into overtime, Smart continued to dominate with winning plays.
Less than a minute into overtime, Smart parked himself in the corner while being guarded by Tari Eason. Houston’s defense was already in panic mode, with diminutive defender Reed Sheppard guarding James on the ball. That sent the Rockets into a rotation before James even drove, as he absorbed a double team from Thompson, who left Luke Kennard. Rockets All-Star center Alperen Şengün left Lakers center Deandre Ayton to rotate to Kennard, who instantly swung the ball to Rui Hachimura as Hachimura lifted from the corner opposite of Smart.
As the undersized Sheppard tried to find someone to guard, he was left fronting Ayton in the post, forcing Eason off of Smart in case Hachimura chose to throw the ball inside to Ayton. Hachimura was able to hit the open Smart before Eason could recover and make a play on the ball.
Smart might be poor from above the break (29.7 percent this regular season), but he’s a 37.8 percent 3-point shooter from the right corner, and a 42.6 percent shooter from the left corner. The Lakers never trailed again.
With a little less than a minute left, Smart watched James launch a contested late clock 3-pointer as the Lakers held a 107-105 lead. Smart would have been credited with an assist if James had made the shot. But Smart also had an angle to the glass, as Eason stared into space with James’ shot in the air, out of position to put a body on the crashing Smart.
As James’ shot caromed off the rim, Smart was able to not only secure the offensive rebound in front of the younger, bigger and more athletic Eason, Smith and Şengün, but Smart had the guile to force up a long shot putback attempt while drawing an Eason foul, putting himself at the free-throw line to make it a two-possession game.
Smart outscored the Rockets 11-7 from the time Houston had a six-point lead with under 30 seconds left in regulation through the end of the game, with Smart outscoring the entire Rockets team 8-7 in overtime alone. Overall, he had 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field with four rebounds, game-highs of 10 assists and five steals and two blocks while making 2-of-4 3s and 9-of-11 free throws. The only other player in Lakers franchise history to have at least 20 points, 10 assists and five steals in a playoff game is Magic Johnson.
Smart is the only player in team history to record at least 20 points and five steals in back-to-back playoff games, with Game 2 being highlighted by Smart scoring 14 of his 25 points in the first quarter and bullying Thompson for an and-one.
It’s not completely foreign for Smart to seek out the free-throw line. He was the sixth pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Celtics after averaging 7.3 free throws per game in two years at Oklahoma State. Smart has attempted at least five free throws in every game of this series against the Rockets. During the regular season, Smart got to the free-throw line at least five times in 10 games, and the Lakers went 8-2 in those games. After Smart made 8-of-9 free throws in the February home win against the Warriors, Lakers head coach JJ Redick discussed Smart’s unique ability to use his 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame to be part of the Lakers’ free-throw attempt rate advantage.
“There’s naturally going to be opportunities for him to be on that single side just because of our early action with him and LeBron in that side pick and roll in 88,” Redick said of Smart in February. “He’s done a great job of getting that initial position for him, the ball handler, deep. And when we’re running those pick-and-rolls, it’s not happening outside the 3-point line. It’s happening sometimes below the logo. And those provide him opportunities to either attack the basket or use his size and strength to post his smaller defender up.”
Smart’s willingness to be aggressive gets the Lakers in trouble at times, such as his shaky finishing ability (39.5 percent), untimely turnovers (five in Game 1) and what can sometimes be questionable shot selection. He’s not a vertical threat in any way, and he hasn’t dunked since leaving the Boston Celtics in the 2023 offseason. Smart is much more likely to slide in and take a charge, go for a box out or dive for a loose ball. His advantage is on the ground, especially at 32 years old.
But the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year has been a major difference-maker for the Lakers. Smart does things like take on the primary assignment of a player like Durant defensively, as seen in Game 2. He can handle the ball and pass and make a play on offense, he is willing to shoot and ride hot streaks and the Lakers’ defense allowed 110.6 points per 100 possessions with Smart on the floor this regular season and 117.1 points per 100 possessions when Smart was off the floor. Smart’s on/off numbers are so stark, to put in a leaguewide perspective, that they are approximately the difference between the Spurs’ third-ranked defense and the Bulls’ 22nd-ranked defense.
Most importantly, Smart’s presence means that the Lakers are winning. Smart has now won 16 of the last 17 games that he has appeared in, and 13 in a row, with five wins over the Rockets in that stretch. That’s not an accident, as the Lakers have been at their best all season with Smart on the floor. The Lakers won Smart’s regular-season minutes by a team-high 256 points this season, while the Lakers were outscored with Smart off the floor by a team-high 112 points.
Los Angeles had won only two playoff games in the previous two springs, time Smart spent in the NBA wilderness while recovering from injury with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards. They’ve already surpassed that total in seven days. The Lakers have James to replace what Luka Dončić (hamstring) brings, Kennard to replace what Austin Reaves (oblique) brings, and Hachimura to replace the third-option version of James.
But there’s no replacing Smart, the team’s top perimeter defender and a necessary offensive connector whose efforts have the Lakers on the brink of only their third Western Conference semifinals appearance in the last 14 years.