Marcus Smart owns error as Lakers hold on: 'Never happen again'

Marcus Smart Owns Inbounding Error as Lakers Hold On to Win

The Lakers maintained a narrow 118-116 victory over the Spurs on Wednesday, despite a critical inbounding mistake by Marcus Smart in the final seconds.

Key Moment in Final Seconds

With 1.2 seconds left and the Lakers leading by two, Smart stepped on the baseline while trying to inbound the ball to Rui Hachimura, resulting in a turnover and giving possession to the Spurs.

Spurs’ Last Chance

Julian Champagnie was fouled while driving to the basket with just 0.2 seconds left. He missed the first free throw and deliberately missed the second in hopes of a buzzer-beater tip-in, but the Lakers held on to win.

Smart’s Reaction

“I couldn't believe it. I mean, I think when I released the ball, they said I stepped over [the line]. I'm like, we see the play all the time when a guy gets the ball out quick and his leg is [hovering past the line] and he still inbounds it and throws the ball in and there is no call.”

Smart finished the game with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, going 10-for-10 on free throws. He believed that had he made a clean pass to Hachimura, the clock would have run out without the Spurs having a chance to foul.

Summary

The Lakers survived a costly misstep by Smart in the closing moments, securing a tight win through strong free-throw shooting and clutch defense.

Author’s summary: Marcus Smart admitted to a critical inbounding error that nearly cost the Lakers their victory, but the team held firm to secure an 118-116 win over the Spurs.

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ABC7 Los Angeles ABC7 Los Angeles — 2025-11-06

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