Marcus Smart will miss his ninth consecutive game Thursday when the Lakers face the Golden State Warriors, extending a stretch that has kept the former Defensive Player of the Year out since March 21. He has not played since the matchup against the Orlando Magic.
Smart was initially upgraded to questionable on the Lakers’ first injury report before being ruled out, a reminder that his return has remained close but not close enough. His absence has already mattered once, when the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Lakers in their first of two meetings with Smart sidelined.
The Lakers are also dealing with injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, which has sharpened the focus on the players available to take the floor. JJ Redick has called for players who will compete and play hard for the Lakers after those two major injuries, a demand that carries more weight when Smart is unavailable and the rotation keeps thinning.
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The timing matters because Thursday’s game comes with the Lakers still trying to steady themselves through a stretch defined as much by who cannot play as by who can. Smart’s return was never officially in hand, but the latest report makes clear the wait will continue into another game that could use his defense and edge.
