Lakers backcourt star: Smart has excellent defensive ability, he is simply our coach on the court

The Los Angeles Lakers are conducting daily training activities during training camp. After the training, the team's Austin Reaves accepted an interview with the media. In the interview, he also talked about the situation of the team's new backcourt player Marcus Smart.

Reeves said: In my opinion, the most impressive part of Marcus Smart is his communication and leadership skills on the court. According to my observation, Marcus Smart pays great attention to details on the court. Sometimes he can be our coach on the court. He has a smart mind and strong insight. He can play a decisive role on both offense and defense. Reeves continued: Marcus Smart sometimes defends me in training, and you can clearly feel the pressure and intensity he puts on the defensive end. Under his defense, it is not easy to make breakthroughs or other decisions, because he can always see through. With him joining the team, our competitiveness on both offense and defense will be significantly improved. I believe he can also play an important role in the team and help the team improve its record.

In the NBA regular season last season, Smart played 34 times on behalf of the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards, averaging 20 minutes per game. He averaged 9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. He also had 1.6 turnovers and 1.6 fouls. He shot 39.3% from the field, 34.8% from the three-point range, and 76.1% from the free throw line. Smart's overall performance last season was actually very disappointing. Whether in the Grizzlies or the Wizards, Smart's performance was a mess. He has never been able to show his strength and level. His efficiency on the offensive end is a mess, and his performance on the defensive end has also declined significantly. His state is completely different from when he played for the Boston Celtics. On the other hand, his physical condition is also very worrying, and his attendance rate and playing time are also affected by injuries.

This summer, Smart completed a buyout with his old club, the Wizards, and then signed a two-year contract with the Lakers worth $11 million. Of course Smart has high hopes from the Lakers, otherwise the Lakers would not have chosen to sign him. On paper, Smart's arrival will also improve the team's overall competitiveness, and the Lakers will also be able to have an excellent outside defender on the defensive end. So next we can also see what role Smart can play in this Lakers lineup and whether he can play a decisive role.