The Lakers have officially entered a state of survival mode. For tonight’s game against Portland, Los Angeles will be without seven players, including Marcus Smart. It’s one more name on an already stacked injury report that features LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Adou Thiero, Maxi Kleber, Jaxson Hayes, and Gabe Vincent.

Austin Reaves leads the starting lineup alongside Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Deandre Ayton, and Jake LaRavia. At the same time, the Blazers depend on Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe, and Jrue Holiday in the absence of four players of their own.

The injury report for the Lakers looks like: LeBron James (right sciatica), Luka Doncic (left finger sprain, lower left leg contusion), Jaxson Hayes (left patellar tendinopathy), Maxi Kleber (abdominal strain), Adou Thiero (left knee recovery), Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain). And as for Marcus Smart? Sidelined with a right quadriceps contusion. Seven names, seven holes to plug. 

With only seven active players and three two-ways available, JJ Redick has no choice but to get creative.

The Los Angeles Lakers have already seen how a single rotation change can change a game. Against Minnesota, Luka’s 49-point night arrived after Marcus Smart checked in and lifted the room out of a 10-point deficit. Smart’s line that night with 3 points on 50% shooting reads like an explanation. The Lakers changed the chip, as the Don says.

And when a season becomes a series of small recoveries, those small chips blend.

This season, Marcus Smart is averaging 7.7 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 43.8 percent shooting. Last year, between Memphis and Washington, he posted 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 39.3 percent. Numbers matter, yes, but context matters more.

How Marcus Smart’s absence could translate to a lack of defense in LA

On Lakers’ Media Day, Marcus Smart said, “That’s what I came to do, that’s why Luka called me, that’s what JJ wants,” on his defensive identity. Between Marcus, Hachimura, and Reaves, who scored a career-high 51 against the Kings, they have the right mix. But with Smart now out, this could turn very chaotic for LA.

So what can Redick do tonight? Simplify. Play fewer lineups that force awkward spacing. Ask Reaves to carry more usage. Lean on Ayton’s rim gravity. Hide mismatches with purposeful possessions. It won’t be pretty, but it can be effective.

What happens next will tell us how durable this roster really is. If Redick’s tweaks hold up through this stretch, the Lakers can survive short-term turmoil. If they don’t, the season’s early whispers about depth will become a roar.

Either way, tonight is not turning out to be a normal regular-season game. It’s a test of chemistry and whether a team built for star moments can grind through the small moments that actually decide an 82-game season. 

The Lakers might be able to survive one game with seven key players out, but this survival requires immediate urgency. And if not given the same? It could turn out to be very ugly in LakersNation this season.