Why Marcus Smart Is the Most Important Player on the Lakers (Not Named Luka, Austin or LeBron)

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

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4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 24 March 2026

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Lakers played Monday without Marcus Smart, who is day to day with an ankle injury. They lost, and the win streak stopped at nine. Is Smart's absence the reason the Pistons topped LA? Not directly, but as JJ Redick noted after, it played a big role. And the game certainly reinforced the outsized role Smart has in the team's success. He's been a catalyst for their defensive improvement, a big influence on a strong team culture, and playing with him (as opposed to Rui Hachimura) has helped turn the Big Three into a net positive from a net negative. Put it all together, and while it's hard to argue he's as important as those three guys... it's maybe not as big a gap as you might think. Smart is as indispensable to LA's playoff hopes as anyone on the roster. If Deandre Ayton raises the ceiling, Smart prevents the floor from dropping out. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! TurboTaxThis year you’re getting a major upgrade — Intuit TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide. Visit http://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today. PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use codeLOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBA QuoMake this the year where no opportunity - and no cutsomer - slips away.Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to http://Quo.com/lockedonnba. RobinhoodYou’re no longer just a spectator. Play by play. You decide. Trade Every Play with Robinhood.Now available across the U.S. Download the Robinhood app now to begin. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC., a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm. 5-Hour ENERGYHave your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It's party time. Order Now at 5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon. IndeedListeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. During the tournament FanDuel is offering$300 back in Bonus Bets every day for ten days. Visit https://FANDUEL.COMto get started — Play Your Game. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Is Marcus smart as important to the Lakers as the big three?
0:03.7	No, but the gap may not be as big as you think.
0:06.9	That's next.
0:13.2	You are Locked-on Lakers.
0:15.6	Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network,
0:23.1	your team every day.
0:29.7	Thanks to everybody for joining Locked-on Lakers on this Tuesday afternoon.
0:35.7	Brian Komenetsky, Andy Kaminetsky, the Lakers, sadly, as my daughter likes to say, sadly,
0:41.8	the Lakers nine-game win streak ended in Detroit on Monday night.
0:46.6	They lose 1.13 to 110, a hard-fought, honorable loss.
0:48.8	You can't win them all, Andy. Even the best teams lose, you know, 10 or 15 games a season.
0:52.9	But if there was a couple important takeaways to that game,
0:57.4	one of them might have been reinforcing the importance of Marcus Smart,
1:03.0	who did not play in Detroit to the Lakers and just how indispensable he is.
1:09.9	It's one of those, you know those highlight reels that are made more impressive by you not being in them.
1:17.6	They kind of prove the point because you're not there.
1:19.9	His value was proved by his absence in this game.
1:22.8	Afterwards, JJ said, quote,
1:25.0	not having Smart Tonight killed us.
1:27.2	Austin Reeves asked about it later said the way he plays, unselfish, guards the other team's best player.
1:32.9	That's what he does.
1:34.4	And when you don't have that, you know, it sucks.
	...

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