The Los Angeles Lakers are navigating the playoffs without superstar Luka Doncic, who has been out since April 2 with a Grade 2 hamstring strain.
The Lakers were playing without both Doncic and guard Austin Reaves until Game 5 of the first-round series against the Houston Rockets. Reaves returned for Game 5 after suffering a Grade 2 oblique strain on April 2 but Doncic is still out.
As the Lakers prepare to take on defending NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the Western Conference semifinals, veteran guard Marcus Smart explained how Doncic’s absence has actually helped the Lakers succeed in the playoffs.
“When you got your two players (Doncic and Reaves), top dogs, and one of them comes back but you still got one out, it’s a sense of heightness for everybody in every aspect of our game. We don’t have a guy that you can lean on and just throw the ball to, go one-on-one then get a bucket. So everybody has to pick up one everything that they do.
“You have to be better scoring, you have to be better efficiently with your shots, you have to be better with the ball, you just have to be overall better.” Smart said, per Ava Brand of Los Angeles Sports Report. “… You would think that it hurts us not having him, but it actually helps because it forces guys to elevate their game to a whole new level.”
Multiple players stepped up for the Lakers during the first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.
Luke Kennard led the Lakers to a 107-98 victory in Game 1 of the series with a game-high 27 points. Rui Hachimura is shooting an NBA-record 50.8% from beyond the arc, which is the highest by any player in NBA playoff history. And four-time NBA champion LeBron James dominated with 28 points in Game 6 to clinch the series and advance to the second round.
It will be a big challenge for the Lakers to get through the Thunder. But so far, Los Angeles has shown what it can do even without its star player.
Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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