Congratulations! The Lakers missed out on the 31-year-old defensive ace for 11 million: 13 points and 7 steals, Doncic is the perfect match for the championship

With 13 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals, 4 of 9 shots, 3 of 7 three-pointers, and 2 of 2 free throws, Smart played another wonderful game. After experiencing troughs with the Grizzlies and Wizards, he regained health and ushered in a moment of resurrection with the Lakers. Smart is back to being the perimeter defender that many scorers fear. On November 11, the Lakers defeated the Hornets 121-111 in an away game, and Smart became the hero of the win.

Smart's 7 steals set a series of records. Seven steals in a single game is the highest in Smart's Lakers career. His career record is eight steals, which is also Smart's highest number of steals in a single game since 2017. 7 steals is the highest number of steals in a single game in the league this season.

The 7 steals in a single game also tied the Lakers' highest steal record in a single game since the 21st century. In the past 29 years, the Lakers have had 7 steals in a single game with Kobe Bryant, Eddie Jones, Smush Parker, Ci Shiping, Lu Wei, Nong Mei and Smart. The highest number of steals in a single game in Lakers history is eight, created by Eddie Jones on November 27, 1996 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Defense is Smart's specialty. During his time with the Celtics, he became a well-known defensive expert in the league. The Green Army always arranges for him to defend the opponent's top outside scorer. Smart can even switch to the basket to guard the opponent's big man. He is also good at drawing offensive fouls from opponents.

Smart was selected to the All-Defensive First Team three times while playing for the Celtics, and was elected the Best Defensive Player in the 2021-22 season. Smart is only 1.93 meters tall, but he is very strong and has rich defensive skills and can defend multiple positions.

This summer, the Wizards bought out Smart, and then the Lakers signed the defensive champion for 2 years and $11 million.

When he came to the Lakers, Smart was reused. While James was recovering from his injury, Smart took the starting position. This season, Smart averaged 10.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game, shooting 41.8% from the field, 26.3% from the three-point range, and 92.3% from the free throw line. Smart has contributed 21 steals, ranking fourth this season. Carson Wallace ranked first with 25 steals, Dyson Daniels was second with 23 steals, and Derrick White was third with 22 steals. If Smart continues his outstanding defensive performance this season, he is expected to be selected to the All-Defensive Team (first or second team) again.

After the victory over the Hornets, Smart talked about the importance of defense: "Unfortunately, in the league we are in, things like this (defense) are often overlooked. Although it is not as eye-catching as scoring 40 points in a single game, it is This is exactly what is needed to win and win the championship. "

Smart can organize offense, has top defensive capabilities, and also has a certain amount of offensive firepower. He has shared a lot of pressure with Doncic and has become an excellent puzzle for the Lakers to win the championship this season. Smart has been plagued by injuries over the past few seasons, which have seriously affected his form. Now that Smart is back to health, he is shining brightly on the court again.

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