Nick Smith Jr. positioned his latest memento nonchalantly beneath the press convention desk. This recreation ball will doubtless go to his mom.
Smith earned it Sunday with a starring efficiency off the bench whereas filling in for the injured Reaves. The 21-year-old guard on a two-way contract scored 21 factors on eight-for-14 taking pictures with three rebounds and one help. He made 5 three-pointers, together with his first 4 from past the arc whereas beginning seven-for-seven from the sphere.
With Reaves sidelined for a minimum of a month with a grade two pressure in his left calf, Smith will likely be in line for extra constant minutes, Redick mentioned earlier than the sport. Particularly with fellow guard Gabe Vincent lacking his fourth recreation due to a again harm Sunday, the Lakers want Smith’s ball dealing with and shiftiness alongside James and Doncic.
However to offset the lack of their second-leading scorer, the Lakers are most determined for Smith’s scoring.
“It’s why we needed him on the Lakers and a part of our program, as a result of we knew he may rating,” Redick mentioned. “I like when he’s aggressive. … If he may simply do him inside our construction, loads of instances, good issues occur.”
Smith has already flashed his scoring potential in massive moments. The previous first-round draft decide who signed with the Lakers a day earlier than coaching camp began rescued the crew with 25 factors in Portland in a recreation with out James, Doncic or Reaves. He had 12 factors in 14 minutes off the bench in opposition to Toronto when the Lakers survived due to a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Rui Hachimura.
“We belief him,” Redick mentioned earlier than the sport.
After getting waived by the Charlotte Hornets, Smith acknowledged that he hasn’t had this degree of belief from a training workers “in a very long time.” To have it “means all the things,” he added.
“It’s a distinct stage, , the place I got here from, and I perceive that,” Smith mentioned. “So I simply need to make certain I’m prepared. … I’m simply blessed to be right here, simply have the chance simply to even play with the Lakers and stuff like that, even be within the league. Plenty of guys the place I’m from would, like, like to be on this state of affairs.”
