"Job's not finished" — it's one of Kobe Bryant's most iconic moments and quotes from a long list of them during his Los Angeles Lakers career. Marcus Smart had a similar energy, but a lot more words to share, following the thrilling 112-108 overtime win over the Houston Rockets in Game 3.
Smart told reporters after the game: "We got to be like a lion. We got to have that killer instinct. We got them on the ground. We just got to finish them off and keep our foot on their neck."
That message carries that same type of mindset regarding more work ahead. Smart sounds more than ready to put in that effort. It would be seriously shocking if the rest of the Lakers did not follow his lead on this one, especially after his Game 3 heroics.
Marcus Smart's message sets up Lakers to finish the sweep in Game 4
Things look pretty good right about now. It is a well-known fact that no team in NBA history has ever erased a 3-0 series deficit. Even with that knowledge, Smart does not sound willing in giving the Rockets any breathing room to be the first ones to try.
It was that same attitude that helped the Lakers get to the position they are in to begin with. There would be no Game 3 win without Smart.
Down six points with 25.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter is not a position from which teams typically wrestle back control of a game. However, the Lakers did that very thing.
It all started with a steal from Smart and a 3-point attempt that led to free throws. The Lakers guard sunk all three. After that spark from their tenacious defender, Los Angeles did the unthinkable. Another steal and a long ball from LeBron James got the team to overtime.
In that extra frame, Smart added eight more points for the Lakers. Suddenly, they were leaving the first of two games in Houston with the commanding lead they have.
The impact Smart had on Game 3 truly cannot be understated. Overall, this entire series has his fingerprints all over it as he's stepped up massively to give LeBron the type of secondary support he regularly needs without his two usual co-stars.
Smart is ready to finish the job when the Lakers meet the Rockets again on Sunday for Game 4. If Los Angeles follows his mindset, the brooms will be ready for their time to shine in this series.