Losing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in a matter of days will remain the story that defines the end of the Los Angeles Lakers' regular season, no matter how the playoffs go. 

It could be the devastating event that sinks them or it could the moment where the team was thrown into the fire and came out of it stronger and more together. 

Should the latter happen, Marcus Smart will be a big part of that process. 

Smart made a return from his own injury, a right ankle contusion he suffered against the Orlando Magic on March 21, on Friday in the Lakers' 101-73 blowout of the Phoenix Suns.

Smart scored six points in 18 minutes while he eases his way back onto the court, but he knows that moving forward he'll need to be a big piece of the Lakers' response, and that's a responsibility he's aware of and willing to accept.

"Austin and Luka, they're our engines. Everybody knows that. And it hurt. It hurt our morale," Smart said (via The Sporting Tribune). "It took us a little time to get ourselves back together. But, we trust in one another. We talked through it... With that being said, that means that everybody has to step up their roles... myself included."

Smart is one of the likeliest candidates for even coming close to replicating that production that Los Angeles has lost without their top two scorers on the court. He's been in the starting lineup often this season and averaging 9.4 points per game, his highest mark since his first season with the Memphis Grizzlies. 

That production, while an increase for Smart, still won't be enough to help fill the void that Doncic and Reaves have left. For Smart to level up his game, his role will have to dramatically change. 

Like Luke Kennard, Smart will have to make the transition from a support piece meant to help speed up the offense to someone that offense moves through.

Smart hasn't been known as a high volume shooter in the recent years of his career, but taking more shots will have to be a necessity for him, especially as his health returns, and the pace that he brings will be vital. 

Back-to-back wins against the Suns and Golden State Warriors are good signs that the Lakers' morale and chemistry is improving, but there is still a lot of work to be done with the playoffs just days away for Los Angeles to be close to the powerhouse they were shaping up to be just a few weeks ago.