The Lakers are heading into Thursday night’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors a little shorthanded - and with some big shoes to fill. Both Luka Dončić (personal reasons) and Marcus Smart (lower back injury management) have been ruled out, leaving Los Angeles without two of their most impactful players.
Dončić’s absence, while temporary, is significant. Multiple reports indicate he’s traveled back to Slovenia for the birth of his second child - a joyous occasion, but one that leaves a massive void in the Lakers’ offensive engine.
Without him, the scoring and playmaking load shifts heavily onto LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Reaves, in particular, has shown flashes of being able to take on more responsibility, but this is a different level of pressure.
And with LeBron still managing a lingering foot issue - one he’s dealt with for a couple of seasons now - the margin for error gets even thinner.
As for Smart, this marks the fourth consecutive game he’ll miss due to a back issue. And while his box score numbers - 9.3 points, 2.9 assists, and a team-leading 1.8 steals per game - don’t jump off the page, his impact goes far beyond stats.
Smart is the kind of player who changes the temperature of a game the moment he steps on the floor. He brings defensive tenacity, vocal leadership, and a kind of controlled chaos that forces opponents into mistakes and energizes his teammates.
Back injuries are notoriously tricky, and the Lakers are no strangers to the complications they bring - LeBron himself missed the start of the season with sciatica. So it’s no surprise the team is being cautious with Smart. He’s already undergone an MRI, and with the Lakers staring down a grueling stretch of the schedule, there’s no rush to bring him back too soon.
That stretch starts now. Thursday’s game in Toronto is the first of a back-to-back, with a showdown in Boston on Friday and a trip to Philadelphia on Sunday. Three games, three cities, and some of the league’s toughest competition - it’s the kind of road trip that tests a team’s depth, chemistry, and resilience.
In Smart’s absence, head coach JJ Redick has leaned more on rookie Dalton Knecht. Offensively, Knecht brings some punch - he can shoot it and has shown confidence in big moments - but he’s still finding his footing defensively.
That’s where someone like Jarred Vanderbilt could come into play. Vanderbilt doesn’t bring the same offensive spark, but he mirrors some of Smart’s grit and defensive intensity.
If Redick is looking to recapture that edge, Vanderbilt might be the answer.
The rest of the Lakers’ injury report is clear, which is good news considering the challenges ahead. But the team knows that navigating this stretch without Smart - and at least temporarily without Dončić - will require more than just healthy bodies. It’ll take leadership, effort, and a next-man-up mentality.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka recently spoke about what Smart has brought to the organization since signing a two-year deal after being bought out this past offseason. According to Pelinka, Smart’s value isn’t just in what he does during games - it’s how he elevates the team every single day.
“We see today’s NBA game is a highly physical game, so you need those physical, scrappy defenders,” Pelinka said in an interview with Spectrum SportsNet. “But what our fans don’t know about Marcus Smart is how he elevates practice every day.
He is getting after guys, he is elevating things. The level of competition, his voice in the locker room - he’s been really, really, really integral to our success.”
That kind of presence can’t be easily replaced. But for now, the Lakers will have to find a way to replicate it by committee - starting with a tough test in Toronto.