What Marcus Smart had to say about his embarrassing gaffe against the Spurs
The The Los Angeles Lakers ran away with a 118-116 victory over San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, but a veteran guard Marcus Smart hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. At least he didn’t shy away from speaking. In the tense final seconds of the game, Smart made a costly mistake that could have ended the Lakers’ furious fourth-quarter comeback.
With just over a second remaining and the Lakers clinging to a narrow two-point lead, Smart attempted to pass the ball to Rui Hachimura, only to be stopped in the end zone. He turned the ball over to give the Spurs their last possession.
The mistake could have proved disastrous, but San Antonio couldn’t capitalize on Julian Champagne’s drive to the free throw line with 0.2 seconds left. It allowed Los Angeles to escape with victory.
After the game, Smart took full responsibility for the gaffe.
“I take full ownership of it,” he said. “My teammates understand. They’ll joke with me. They’ll let me hear about it. But it will never happen again.”
The seasoned veteran didn’t mince words when thinking about the game.
“As a 12-year vet, I can’t make that mistake,” he repeated.
The Lakers definitely had to earn this win. They erased a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter behind another stellar performance Luka Doncic, who dropped 35 points and orchestrated a comeback with clutch and poise. Deandre Ayton added a defensive presence down the stretch, while Smart and Hachimura scored timely to help Los Angeles regain momentum.
Smart’s slump almost overshadowed what was otherwise a resilient team effort. His response later, however, only cemented his reputation as a leader who does not shy away from responsibility. For the Lakers, that mindset could prove just as valuable as any late-game heroics.
2025-11-06 15:27:00
