Marcus Smart calls himself Lakers' 'Swiss Army knife' after Game 1

When the Los Angeles Lakers signed Marcus Smart this past summer after his previous contract had been bought out, plenty of people were skeptical that he would make a difference. He was coming off a couple of injury-riddled seasons, and the sense was that he was in definite decline, especially on the defensive end. But the 32-year-old has been the Lakers' X-factor this season, not just on defense but in multiple other facets of the game.

In their playoff opener on Saturday against the Houston Rockets, he scored 15 points, dished off eight assists and added two rebounds, two blocks and one steal in their 107-98 victory . With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out due to injury, Smart, as well as several of his teammates, have been asked to do more offensively to pick up the slack. He said after Saturday's game that he's a "Swiss Army knife" because of his ability to contribute in several areas.

“It’s important for me, especially without the two guys, Luka and Austin, we’re short on ballhandling and guys that can create not just for themselves but for others,” Smart said. “The team, they lean on me a lot for that, and just to be able to do it. Constantly, my coaching staff is telling me, be aggressive.

Whether it is for you or for your teammates, but continue to be aggressive. “That’s something I have to do. I haven’t always been asked to play that role.