The Los Angeles Lakers are set to play the Oklahoma City Thunder in a key game that will not feature Marcus Smart.
Smart has been out for the last six games with both a hip and now an ankle injury, and he was ruled out by the Lakers for the major contest against the Thunder.
However, just over an hour before the game, Los Angeles announced a new injury update and potential return date for the former Defensive Player of the Year who joined the team over the offseason.
Marcus Smart Injury Update
As mentioned, Smart has missed the Lakers’ last six games, and will still be out Thursday against the Thunder.
However, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, head coach JJ Redick offered a new injury update on the guard.
“Lakers coach JJ Redick says Marcus Smart, who will miss his sixth straight game tonight, participated in an on-court workout today and could play as soon as Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks,” he wrote on X.
Smart is averaging 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 39.9% shooting for the Lakers this season.
Smart is typically featured in the Lakers starting lineup, and while the team has seen success without him, he remains a key part of the team, and will be crucial for their playoff success.
“After a rough start to the season, though, Marcus Smart is emerging as the Lakers’ most impactful non-star,” Dan Favale of Bleacher Report wrote on Smart. “He continues to take on the toughest assignments while covering a wide variety of player archetypes, and L.A.’s top-seven defense since Feb. 28 is even stingier with him on the floor.”
Lakers Injury Report Vs Thunder
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 18: Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
While Smart could return soon for the Lakers, he remains on the team’s injury report for their key game against the Thunder, officially out with an ankle injury.
Along with Smart, Los Angeles has Kobe Bufkin, Dalton Knecht, and Adou Thiero listed as out, each currently on G-League assignment.
Overall, the team has remained healthy, something Redick accredited their recent success to.
“I think it was a confluence of things starting with health,” the coach said recently. “It’s much easier when you have a consistent stretch of health to sort of…settle in to roles and minutes and rotations.”
The Lakers vs. Thunder game remains a key contest for Los Angeles. While they have already clinched the playoffs, competing well against the best team in the NBA could prove that they have the ability to win multiple postseason rounds with this current lineup.
The Lakers are currently 50-26 and third in the Western Conference standings, slated to get home-court advantage in at least the first round of the playoffs if they can hold onto that seed.
As mentioned, getting Smart back and healthy remains a key factor for the Lakers’ success, but with how well Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James have been playing, having them keep their current pace is arguably more important for the team to keep their winning ways.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Los Angeles Lakers Announce Marcus Smart Injury Update Before Thunder Game appeared first on Heavy Sports.