Nick Smith Jr. generated plenty of buzz across the league on Monday after his breakout performance helped the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers. His superstar teammate Luka Doncic showed him some love afterward through an Instagram story.
The former Charlotte Hornets guard put up 25 points on 10-15 shooting from the field and 5-6 from three and also dished out six assists off the bench. Every bit of his production was much needed by the Lakers, who were without Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
Smith Jr. caught fire at the right time, as he scored eight points on a pair of 3-pointers and a layup to cut the Blazers' lead to 51-49 late in the second quarter. With the momentum having shifted to their favor, Los Angeles was able to take control of the game in the second half.
Other Lakers players also stepped up on Monday, as Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura recorded 29 and 28, respectively. Still, the game ball probably went to Smith Jr., who showed the microwave scoring potential he also got to display in spurts during his two-year stint in Charlotte.
Nick Smith Jr.'s admission on his Hornets tenure
The former first-round pick said after the contest that it was "probably the most fun I've had in a long time." Perhaps it was a shade of some sort on the Hornets, where he had received plenty of criticism, particularly during last season when many of his teammates went down with injuries.
Some of the flak Smith Jr. had gotten may be warranted, though, as he failed to capitalize on the opportunities he was provided with. On the other hand, he only turned 21 last April, so maybe fans and pundits should have been more lenient on him. Also, the way the Hornets' roster was constructed was not exactly favorable for the undersized guard to perform well more often than he had probably wanted. So, who can blame him, really, for not having as much fun before as he did on Monday night?
Besides, Smith Jr. was the odd man out, as Charlotte brought in several pieces in the offseason who played the same position and re-signed Tre Mann.
It remains to be seen if the team will regret waiving him when it could have just released Spencer Dinwiddie earlier to open up a roster spot for him. There's little reason to feel that way, as his explosive performance against Portland was not anything the Hornets haven't seen before. In addition, he had suited up in just two matches before Monday, logging a total of nine points (3-11 from the field and 1-6 from downtown) in 30 minutes.
Still, the University of Arkansas product deserved praise for making the most of his opportunity, which might not come often once Doncic and the rest of the Lakers are back at full strength.