The Boston Celtics know Marcus Smart makes a massive impact beyond the box score, and the Lakers are quickly finding out. They have a 4.4 net rating when Smart plays and are 8.5 points per 100 possessions better in his minutes. He brings energy, creates extra possessions, and helps his team win, even if the shooting is subpar and fans are left wanting more offensively. The experience can be a rollercoaster, but the Lakers have won 60 percent of their games with a mismatched roster in part because of Smart.
Celtics fans did not want to see the 6’3 guard sign with the Lakers. Luka Doncic helped recruit him after Smart guarded him so tough early in his career. Boston supporters remember those battles and all the little things Smart provided. He made first-team All-Defense three times and was a key reason Boston made the conference finals five times in nine years. They did get a championship before Smart was traded, but that shouldn’t diminish what he did in Beantown.
The Lakers are unlikely to have all that success with Smart, but it is easy to dismiss his impact. Smart is averaging just 10.0 points per game on questionable efficiency and actually has a negative-0.2 value over a replacement player (VORP) for the season. Those numbers make it seem like Smart is hurting the Lakers, but LA has outscored the opposition by 74 points in his minutes. Celtics fans know this story well.
Marcus Smart’s impact goes well beyond the counting stats
The Lakers are struggling to keep Smart off the floor and have put him in difficult positions because they know he can help them win. He is no longer best suited as a point of attack defender, and the veteran should play around 30 minutes per game. Smart is a below-average shooter and is not doing as much ball-handling playing off Luka and LeBron James in Los Angeles. Still, the Lakers ask him to do things he can't because that is what they need.
The Celtics gave up on Smart in 2023 as it appeared he was taking a step backward. The veteran keeps proving Boston wrong. Fans aren’t mad because Kristaps Porzingis helped them win a championship, but the storybook ending with Smart as a career Celtic would have been ideal.
Lakers fans are now the ones hyped when Smart draws a charge or completes a hustle play nobody expected. He makes the extra pass and helps get LA moving in transition. Those easy buckets don’t result in Smart scoring or getting an assist, but they are helping the purple and gold stay in the thick of the playoff race in the loaded Western Conference.
Los Angeles has a better record than the Celtics, even though Boston is second in the East and the Lakers are tied for fifth in the West. They are doing it with a mismatched roster, too. Rob Pelinka has been piecing things together since the stunning Luka Doncic trade, but a transformation will begin this offseason. Smart may have earned his spot by helping LA win at all costs.
The Boston Celtics know exactly what Lakers fans are going through with Marcus Smart. There are frustrating moments, but his overall impact on winning makes him a gem. Fans don’t like seeing him doing it purple and gold, but they should be happy that Smart is thriving on a contender. The NBA is better with Smart in the playoffs, and he will help the Lakers get there come April. Celtics fans will be watching closely and knowing exactly how LA fans feel.