Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart has been out for a couple of weeks with a leg injury. It’s not a huge injury, but it has been serious enough to force him to miss around a month of action. One of the games that he missed, unfortunately for the Celtics, was their nail-biter against the Warriors.
Smart is expected to return around New Year’s though, as general manager Danny Ainge told 98.5 The Sports Hub. (H/t Masslive.com’s Jay King)
“Marcus had a really good day (Wednesday),” Ainge said on the Toucher and Rich show. “He got out on the court for the first time and he’s running around and felt good. Barring any setbacks, I think it’s probably looking closer to the end of this month or the beginning of the new year. He looks good, and we’re excited to get him back soon. But I’m not sure exactly when that is. That’s sort of a day-to-day thing, but I’m looking at it more at the end of this month.”
The Celtics play the rival Lakers(although it isn’t much of a rivalry this season) on New Year’s Eve, and then the Brooklyn Nets on January 2nd. That Nets game is a big one for Boston, since they own Brooklyn’s unprotected first-rounder, and therefore want the Nets to be as bad as possible. Smart will likely make his debut in one of those two games(or perhaps against the Knicks on December 27th).
The Celtics will be relieved to have Smart back. He’s not too polished offensively just yet, but is already one of the premiere perimeter defenders in the NBA. Another factor is that Smart’s return allows Isaiah Thomas to return to the bench, which is a huge bonus for Boston’s depth. The Celtics have had an elite defense this season, and Marcus Smart is a big part of that defense. His return will ensure that the team keeps a tough, gritty mindset, particularly on the defensive end.
