The Boston Celtics are a powerhouse this season with the league’s best record at 36-15. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the engine that drive the Celtics this season, but an unsung hero for the team has been Marcus Smart. However, he’s been out the last four games in a row with an ankle injury. With the all-star game approaching in over two weeks, Smart said he is not going to rush himself back if he does not need to.
In 41 games played and started for the Celtics this season, Smart is averaging (11.1) points, (3.4) rebounds, and a career-high (7.2) assists per game. His (7.2) assists per game also leads the team this season and he’s stepped up into a bigger playmaking role this season.
Massachusetts Sports Betting sites have the Celtics at (+400) to win the Finals this season.
Marcus Smart says he’s seeing “small improvements” with his ankle sprain, but isn’t back on the court yet. “We’re just taking it day by day.”
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 31, 2023
Marcus Smart not rushing himself back on the court before the all-star break
With the Celtics in solid position in the East right now, the team and Smart do not feel the need to rush him back to the court. He did not practice today with his teammates and his head coach Joe Mazzulla feels that he is day-to-day. Smart hasn’t tested out his ankle on the court yet so he’s likely a wash vs the Nets on Wednesday.
“To get me out there to just try to play through it, there’s no need for that right now. So I just made a decision and the team made a decision that it wasn’t smart for me to go back. Playoffs, I probably would’ve tried it. But not right now.” – Marcus Smart
Both Smart and his coaching staff know how valuable he is to the team and there is no need to rush him back and risk re-injuring himself. With the all-star break approaching, he’s likely just giving himself some extra time to heal up and get to 100 percent.
