Marcus Smart's Game-Winning Performance

0:00It's April 22nd. This is California News Today, AI-powered stories from your city. I'm Cory with the story. Marcus Smart lit up the court and game 2 for the Lakers, dropping 25 points with 5-3 pointers and 5 steals in their 100. 1-94 win over the Houston Rockets. That gives Los Angeles a 2-0 lead in the first round playoffs. Even without their top 2 scores sidelined by injuries, the Lakers showed real death, leaning on Smart's championship know-how, and that 41-year-old LeBron James to keep things tight. Fans and teammates couldn't get enough of Smart's energy, from his Boston finals runs to bouncing back after tough stops in Memphis in Washington. Coach JJ Redick called it a killer game, highlighting how his leadership fired up the squad after a rough stretch. Smart shook off an ankle injury, returning strong with aggressive play their rattle Kevin Durant into 9 turnovers, including three steals off the star. His defense set the tone from tip-off,

1:01smothering Houston just like in game 1. In the closing minute, Smart swiped the ball and hit LeBron with a slick bounce pass for a huge dunk, sealing the vibe as the series heads to Houston. For Game 3 on Friday,