It was never going to be easy for the Los Angeles Lakers to replace the injured Austin Reaves‘ production of 26.6 points and 6.3 assists. But Nick Smith Jr. did well in filling the void left by Reaves in Sunday’s 125-101 win over the Kings.
Smith finished with 21 points (8-of-14 FG) and three rebounds, including five made threes, proving why the Lakers signed him to a two-way deal at the start of the season.
The 21-year-old said he kept himself ready after being DNP’ed on Christmas Day and not receiving much playing time through December.
“This is up and down because obviously I’m on a two-way [contract]. So one day I might play, then the next two games I might not play. So just take it one day at a time,” Smith said after his impressive performance, via ClutchPoints’ David Yapkowitz.
“I try to make sure every day is my game day. I try to make sure I prepare my body when my name is called. And tonight was one of those nights.”
Lakers Praise Nick Smith Jr.
Smith acknowledged that even though his role could change from game to game, he’s prepared to play extended minutes when called upon.
“I’m just in a space where I’m just locked in right now,” he stressed.
“Just trying to do what I can to help this team win. I just try to prepare every day like it’s a game day, and it showed tonight.”
With Reaves expected to be out for at least a month, Smith is likely to receive a lot more playing time, especially for a Lakers team that lacks consistent 3-PT shooting.
A Part of the Lakers Future?
Lakers star LeBron James was not surprsied by Smith’s performance.
“Nobody’s surprised by his ability to score—he’s been doing that his whole life,” James said, via BasketNews.
“With AR out, we need another ball handler to run some sets, and the most important thing is he was super efficient tonight, getting us into our offense even under pressure.”
Head coach JJ Redick was very impressed with Smith’s aggressive mindset.
“For someone his age, he’s been in a lot of NBA games, so this isn’t new,” Redick said of the 21-year-old Smith. “That’s why we wanted him on the Lakers and part of our program—we knew he could score.
“I like when he’s aggressive, and for the most part, we did well tonight.”
Smith had another impressive performance earlier in the season, when he dropped a season-high 25 points in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers. According to insiders covering the Lakers, the franchise has been reluctant to send the Arkansas alum back to the G League, as they covet his skills, especially his long-range shooting.
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