How Marcus Smart-Jake LaRavia ‘connection’ creates balance for Lakers’ lineups

LOS ANGELES – Since Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have been sidelined due to injury, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia have taken their place in the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers, for the time being. The Lakers are 1-1 across the past two games with the duo running with the starters, and during the team’s 128-121 win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, the defense and energy they brought was apparent.

Following the Lakers’ win, Marcus Smart acknowledged that he got used to playing with Jake LaRavia during their time with the Grizzlies, and that it’s carried over to this season.

“It’s huge. . .me and Jake coming from Memphis together, having that connection that we built over there and to bring it over here. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for his defense, but he’s a really good defender,” Smart said. “And we just got to continue to feed his confidence on that end because we’re definitely going to need him.”

This season, Smart and LaRavia lead the Lakers in deflections at 3.1 per game, as per Law Murray of The Athletic. That’s 26 more deflections than the next player on the roster. It’s a common sight to see both players getting their hands in the passing lanes, diving on the floor for loose balls and generally disrupting opposing team’s offenses.

During their Lakers’ recent win against the Grizzlies, it was Smart and LaRavia on the defensive end who helped the team get off to a strong start. And while the Grizzlies eventually got back into the game, it was the same duo who continued to make big defensive plays throughout the game.

For LaRavia, that energy and effort needs to come immediately after the opening tip.

“That’s the role that me and Marcus bring to this team. Just that defensive effort, that defensive intensity, the physicality,” LaRavia said following Friday’s game. “When we’re in the starting lineup, it starts from the jump. So we have to do it from the first punch.”

Smart and LaRavia were both signed this past offseason. LaRavia was an unrestricted free agent while Smart became a free agent after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards. Among the standard contract roster players, LaRavia is fifth on the team in defensive rating at 117.1, as per StatMuse. Smart is seventh at 118.1.

Making all the little plays and giving maximum effort on the defensive end is something that LaRavia has always prided himself on. He may not always get lots of touches on the offensive end, but that doesn’t dictate his effort defensively.

“I’ve always played like that, played hard. I’ve always played with effort,” LaRavia said. “So just kind of going into every game knowing that I have to change the game defensively and help us win extra possessions, dive for loose balls, and just make winning plays.”

The Lakers obviously miss the offensive production that Reaves and Hachimura bring to the starting lineup, but Smart and LaRavia have replaced that with defensive production for now. It’s helped create a bit of a balance when playing alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

“We’re with some gifted talent on the offensive end that we, on the defensive end, have to do some things to kind of balance that out for us,” Smart said. “And that starts with us, to come out and bring that energy when we’re out there.”

The post How Marcus Smart-Jake LaRavia ‘connection’ creates balance for Lakers’ lineups appeared first on ClutchPoints.