The Los Angeles Lakers may finally get some relief from their mounting injury list.
Aside from Luka Dončić, the Lakers could also welcome back veteran guard Marcus Smart, who has missed the last two games with a quadriceps injury.
According to the latest official NBA injury report, both Dončić and Smart have been upgraded to questionable ahead of the Lakers’ Friday road matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Lakers have split their last two games without Smart, who remains one of the team’s defensive anchors and vocal leaders.
Smart’s Impact Goes Beyond the Box Score
GettyMarcus Smart’s impact for the Los Angeles Lakers goes beyond the traditional box score stats.
Smart, the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is averaging 7.7 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 43.8% from the field in limited action this season.
Before his injury, Smart logged 11 points and five assists in the Lakers’ 127–120 win over the Sacramento Kings — the same game in which Austin Reaves erupted for a career-high 51 points.
Even with modest offensive numbers, Smart has been one of the Lakers’ most efficient contributors.
According to Statmuse, he leads the team in plus-minus at +33, meaning Los Angeles has outscored opponents by 33 points when he’s been on the floor.
“I try not to look at the stats,” Smart said after the Lakers’ first win of the season. “Those stats aren’t going to do me any justice. I just try to go out there and do what I’m supposed to do, help my teammates out the best way I can. Being plus-24 is great, but that just shows the impact that can be made.”
Smart’s toughness and communication have been instrumental in stabilizing the Lakers’ defense — especially with LeBron James sidelined due to sciatica and Dončić nursing a sprained left finger and lower leg contusion.
Potential Backcourt Reinforcements vs. Grizzlies
If both Dončić and Smart are cleared, head coach JJ Redick will have his most complete backcourt rotation of the young season — a timely boost as they face Ja Morant and the Grizzlies.
Smart’s likely matchup with former Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will also be a storyline to watch. The two play similar defensive roles for their teams, though Caldwell-Pope has been the more reliable scorer early in the season.
The Lakers will still be without James, Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain), Maxi Kleber (abdominal strain), and rookie Adou Thiero (knee surgery recovery).
Austin Reaves’ Historic Run Keeps Lakers Afloat
During the injury wave, Reaves has transformed from a promising role player to a breakout star.
The undrafted Arkansas native — now averaging 40.0 points and 10.0 assists over his last three games — capped his meteoric week with a buzzer-beating floater to lift the Lakers over the Timberwolves, 116–115, on Wednesday.
Reaves’ latest performance included 28 points and 16 assists, tying a career-high and cementing his place in Lakers history. He became the only third Laker, alongside Magic Johnson and Jerry West, to record at least 170 points and 50 assists over any five-game span.
James and Dončić, watching from home, reacted instantly to his game-winner.
“A-MUTHAF*IN-R!!!!!!!!!!!!!**,” James wrote on X, tagging Reaves by his nickname “AR.”
Moments later, Dončić tweeted with a single emoji — “🐐” — the universal symbol for “Greatest of All Time.”
Lakers Eye Momentum Shift
With Dončić and Smart nearing a return, the Lakers (3–2) are poised to regain balance on both ends of the floor.
Reaves’ heroics have kept the team above .500, but the return of two key players could finally restore the team’s full identity.
If Smart’s defensive energy and Dončić’s playmaking return to the fold, Redick’s Lakers could quickly shift from surviving injuries to making a push toward the top of the Western Conference standings.
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