The Los Angeles Lakers were shorthanded for their Sunday night contest against the Sacramento Kings.
LeBron James (out with sciatica) was inactive for Los Angeles again, while ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed that two separate injuries (left finger sprain and lower left leg contusion) would force Luka Doncic to miss at least one week of NBA action.
Shortly before the start of Los Angeles’ third regular-season game, the franchise’s X/Twitter account revealed that Marcus Smart would replace Doncic in its starting lineup, which was the best option available for the Lakers.
How did Doncic’s replacement (Smart) fare in his first start with the Lakers?
Smart was solid for the Lakers in their 127-120 road win over the Kings. The former Defensive Player of the Year was aggressive at the correct times and didn’t take unnecessary risks while occupying the point guard position.
Smart shot below 40% from the field and from three, but finished the contest with 11 points and an impressive 5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
With Austin Reaves exploding for 51 points on 54.5% field goal shooting and 60% three-point shooting, Smart didn’t have to operate as an offensive guru for the Lakers to escape with a seven-point victory.
Smart played his role to perfection and didn’t step on any toes in the process, helping Los Angeles win their second game of the year.
More NBA: Lakers reveal Luka Doncic replacement for matchup vs. Kings
