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James Worthy amazed with Marcus Smart performance for LA Lakers, but says another underrated player was ‘key’
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

James Worthy amazed with Marcus Smart performance for LA Lakers, but says another underrated player was ‘key’

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aikansh Chaudhary  |  Last updated Oct 25, 2025 2:00 PM ET

NBA Hall of Famer James Worthy analyzes the LA Lakers’ first win of the season.

After an underwhelming start to the 2025-26 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have registered their first win of the campaign.

It was a 128-110 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves, spearheaded by none other than Luka Doncic, who was one point shy of scoring 50.

Additionally, Deandre Ayton emerged as a Rudy Gobert stopper, but let’s put that on the back burner.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

James Worthy on Marcus Smart

NBA Hall of Famer and former Laker James Worthy shared his honest views on the Lakers’ dominant win vs. the T-Wolves.

Worthy believes it was Marcus Smart who changed the game for the Lakers with his infectious energy.

“The game really changed when Marcus Smart came into the game. It’s amazing how contagious his energy is,” Worthy said.

Smart may have finished the night with just 3 points, 1 assist, and 2 steals, but his impact cannot be justified by the box score.

After all, Smart had a plus-minus of +24, emerging as a leader for the team and for head coach JJ Redick when it mattered most.

James Worthy makes ‘key’ statement about Rui Hachimura

With LeBron James sidelined, the Lakers are mostly relying on Doncic and Austin Reaves to handle most of the scoring burden.

However, until James comes back, Rui Hachimura needs to step up and fill that void as a third star. While Rui failed to do so against the Golden State Warriors, he rectified his mistake vs. the Timberwolves.

“I thought the key tonight was Rui; he only got a couple of rebounds, but his activity offensively was a threat,” Worthy stated.

For context, Hachimura added 23 points to the Lakers’ tally and shot a brilliant 10-of-13 from the floor.

Moving forward, Hachimura needs to drop similar performances for the Lakers to succeed in the ever-so-competitive Western Conference.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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