Smart calls out Lakers' excessive complaining after brutal loss to Charlotte.
The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a tough 135-117 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night, and veteran guard Marcus Smart had a clear message for his team after the game.
Smart, the former Defensive Player of the Year, called out the Lakers for spending too much time talking to referees instead of getting back on defense.
"Instead of getting back, we're talking to the officials a lot," Smart said following the loss. "That definitely doesn't help. ... We gotta be able to play on and move on to the next play."
Why the Lakers Lost to Charlotte
The Hornets came into Crypto.com Arena and put on a show, with LaMelo Ball scoring 27 of his 30 points in the second half while tying his career high with nine three-pointers.
Brandon Miller added 26 points, Miles Bridges chipped in 25, and rookie Kon Knueppel finished with 19 as Charlotte's young core combined for 100 points and 19 threes on the night.
The Lakers had no answer for the Hornets' offensive attack, allowing 105 points in the final three quarters alone.
Even though Luka Doncic poured in 39 points and LeBron James added 29 points with nine rebounds, the defensive breakdowns proved too costly.
The Los Angeles bench contributed just nine points on a rough 4-for-19 shooting performance, which made the loss even more painful.
Smart has been averaging 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game this season for the Lakers, who now sit at 24-15 and fifth in the Western Conference.
The Hornets improved to 15-26 with the win, showing flashes of their young talent coming together.
The Transition Defense Problem
The Lakers have struggled with transition defense all season, ranking among the bottom teams in the league in that area.
Head coach JJ Redick has spoken many times about improving perimeter and transition defense, but his words seem to be falling on deaf ears at times.
Smart's comments suggest the team needs to focus more on hustle plays rather than arguing with officials after non-calls.
The loss marked the Lakers' fourth defeat in their last five games, a troubling stretch for a team that started the season 15-4 and looked like a true contender.
With Austin Reaves still sidelined due to a calf strain, the Lakers have been missing a key piece of their puzzle during this rough patch.
Looking Ahead for the Lakers
The schedule does not get any easier for the Lakers in the near future.
They head to Portland on Saturday to face the Trail Blazers before returning home to host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.
The team will need to clean up its defensive issues quickly if they want to avoid falling further in the Western Conference standings.
Smart's message was simple and direct, and it is something the Lakers need to hear. In a league where transition points can change games, stopping to complain about calls creates easy scoring chances for opponents.
The Lakers have the talent to compete with anyone, but they must play smarter and more disciplined basketball if they want to turn this rough stretch around.