Marcus Smart picking up four fouls in 12 first-half minutes wasn’t the plan Tuesday, but the Lakers guard still saw a purpose behind the maddening calls.
For a team that signed the 31-year-old guard in large part for his tenacity, having Smart set the standard of physicality was the right way to start a season, even if the season-opening result went the wrong way for the Lakers.
“The toughest team,” Smart said, “sets the rules.”
“I’ve been in this league for 12 years and that’s always been the motto,” the former NBA defensive player of the year continued.