Marcus Smart, a recent addition to the Los Angeles Lakers, has been dealing with back tightness that kept him out of the team’s last three games, including a matchup against the Phoenix Suns. The injury has affected his availability during the past week.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick addressed Smart’s condition after he underwent an MRI on his back. Redick stated, “He was feeling a little tightness, I guess it was three games ago now, before the game. Played through it, tightened up after, I guess it was really tight the next day, the day before Thanksgiving. So he got imaging. Imaging was unremarkable, it looked like a normal 11-year NBA veteran. We’ve all got that MRI. So we’re not concerned long-term, it’s a day-to-day thing.”
Redick also drew from his own experience as a player when discussing Smart’s recovery timeline: “I had a number of those week to two-week episodes during a stretch of my career when I played for the Clippers and it would just pop up and you would feel like you’re progressing and then it would kind of plateau. So we expect him to be back soon, it’s not a long-term thing.”
Despite Smart’s absence impacting the team’s defensive efficiency, Redick has managed to adjust the rotation in recent games. Smart is recognized for his ability to contribute both offensively and defensively and is valued as a leader in the locker room.
The Lakers are preparing for upcoming games against strong opponents and will look forward to having Smart return to help maintain their position in the standings.
Redick recently compared Smart joining the Lakers to his own experience signing with the Los Angeles Clippers as a free agent, noting that both players sought significant roles on teams with championship aspirations.