Marcus Smart Acknowledges Inbounding Mistake in Lakers' Narrow Victory
The Los Angeles Lakers edged out the San Antonio Spurs 118-116 in a tightly contested game on Wednesday. With only 1.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers holding a two-point lead, Marcus Smart made an inbounding error that nearly cost his team the win.
Critical Turnover in Final Seconds
Smart stepped on the end line while attempting to inbound the ball to Rui Hachimura, resulting in a turnover and giving possession to the Spurs. This gave the Spurs a chance to snatch the game in the final moments.
Spurs’ Last Attempt
Julian Champagnie was fouled by Lakers forward Jake LaRavia with 0.2 seconds remaining as he drove toward the basket. Champagnie missed the first free throw and intentionally missed the second, aiming to set up a buzzer-beater tip-in, but the Lakers managed to hold on.
Smart’s Response
“I couldn’t believe it. I think when I released the ball, they said I stepped over [the line]. I’m like, we see the play all the time when a guy gets the ball out quick and his leg is [hovering past the line] and he still inbounds it and throws the ball in and there is no call.”
Smart contributed 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, while going a perfect 10-for-10 on free throws. He believed that if his inbound pass had been clean, the game clock would have expired before the Spurs could act.
Game Impact
Despite the mistake, the Lakers maintained their composure in the final seconds and secured the close victory.
Summary: Marcus Smart admitted to a crucial inbounding error that nearly jeopardized the Lakers’ win over the Spurs, but his team managed to hold on for a 118-116 victory.