The scoreboard said the Lakers were safe. The final possession said otherwise. With seconds left and the game already decided, Marcus Smart hitting the floor was enough to send a ripple of panic through a fanbase that has learned, the hard way, how quickly momentum can vanish.

That brief scare is what sparked the backlash, not the result. Los Angeles had just closed out a 109–103 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, but the conversation afterward had little to do with the standings. Instead, it centered on risk, timing, and whether hustle basketball still makes sense when the margin for error feels razor-thin.

Smart was productive throughout the night, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block while logging heavy minutes. His defensive presence was noticeable, and his energy helped steady the Lakers during key stretches. Still, the final seconds reshaped how fans viewed the performance.

With 13 seconds remaining, Luka Doncic launched a long pass toward Smart near midcourt as two Pelicans defenders closed in. Smart reacted instinctively, lunging forward and flicking a pass to Jake LaRavia for a dunk. As the buzzer sounded, he stayed down, clutching his side. There was no immediate injury update, and he is expected to be available going forward, but the visual alone was enough to ignite concern.

Fear overtakes celebration after late-game scare

One fan summed up the mood succinctly: “Of course, Marcus Smart gets hurt on the last possession, bruh.” That reaction wasn’t about blaming Smart for effort. It reflected fear. Lakers fans have grown increasingly sensitive to injury scares, especially in games where the outcome is already sealed.

This reaction exists because availability has become currency. When lineups have fluctuated and continuity has been fragile, fans no longer view hustle as an unquestioned positive. In those moments, the cost-benefit calculation shifts. Winning the possession matters less than protecting the bodies that got the team there.

Another reaction focused squarely on context: “Why tf is Marcus Smart sacrificing his body up 8 with 6 seconds?” That sentiment highlights a growing expectation among fans that effort should be situational, not automatic.

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Smart’s reputation has always been built on pushing limits. Diving for loose balls and embracing contact are part of what made him valuable long before he arrived in Los Angeles. But situational basketball demands restraint. Fans weren’t asking for Smart to stop competing. They were asking why the same level of risk was necessary when the game no longer demanded it.

The anxiety was amplified by an earlier first-half moment. While attempting to draw an offensive foul, Smart fell backward and slid into Doncic’s legs, briefly causing the Lakers star to hobble before continuing. Though Doncic appeared fine moments later, the sequence lingered in fans’ minds.

When reactions stack, narratives form. Two separate scares in one game can quickly turn perception, especially when both involve players central to the team’s success. For fans already on edge, the pattern mattered more than the outcome.

Smart’s energy remains one of the reasons head coach JJ Redick trusts him in the rotation. Hustle players shift momentum, set defensive tones, and often cover gaps that stats don’t reveal. But fan reactions show a growing tension between identity and circumstance.

Comments like “Marcus having the last name Smart is comical at times” aren’t nuanced critiques. They are emotional shorthand for a deeper concern: effort without adjustment can become a liability when health is the priority.

In the end, Smart avoided injury, and the Lakers secured another win. Yet the backlash revealed something larger than one play. It exposed how fan expectations evolve when injuries loom large, how hustle is re-evaluated through the lens of timing, and how even winning moments can carry unease.

For now, Los Angeles moves forward intact. But the message from fans was clear. Effort still matters. Energy still matters. Context matters just as much. When the clock is winding down and the outcome is decided, the risk attached to every dive feels heavier than ever.