It's been an up-and-down season so far for the Boston Celtics, who are 3-2 in their first five games of 2022. However, two of those wins came in their past couple of outings. Boston defeated the New York Knicks last Saturday and the Indiana Pacers last Monday — both at home. The Celtics will look to make it three in a row when they play the Pacers again Wednesday night, this time with the game in Indiana. There are a number of ways to break this game down, and among the top items to watch out for Boston ahead of the matchup is the availability of Marcus Smart.
Is Marcus Smart playing vs. Pacers?
Smart started in Monday's meeting with the Pacers and lasted 23 minutes on the floor. However, he was not able to finish the contest after hurting his right thigh while trying to fight off a screen by Domantas Sabonis. The Pacers' big man accidentally kneed Smart, who then limped off to the bench and into the locker room after getting subbed out.
Marcus Smart came up limping after this play and left the game pic.twitter.com/0LjeMrZ2oq
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 11, 2022
Smart is one of the best assets of the Celtics mainly because of what he brings to their defense. The former Oklahoma State Cowboys star can guard almost any player, from guard to center. But sometimes, his intensity on that side of the court will result in some bumps and bruises, so to speak. Smart was still expecting he could make his way back to the Pacers game, but ultimately get ruled out for the remainder of the contest. The good news is that the Celtics still managed to pull off a 101-98 overtime win. Before he left, Smart posted 11 points on 4/11 shooting from the field, three rebounds, an assist, a steal, and five turnovers.
As for his status for the rematch against the Pacers, Smart is currently listed as doubtful. If he gets sidelined, the Celtics will have to dig deep into their backcourt to cover for his minutes, especially if Payton Pritchard fails to suit up again. Pritchard is labeled questionable (health and safety protocols), so there's better chance than Smart in terms of availability against the Pacers.
An absence from Smart would also mean heavier workloads for the pair of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Tatum dropped 24 points with 12 rebounds in the win over Indiana, while Brown paced the team with 26 points to go along with 15 rebounds, and six assists.
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