Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been officially listed as questionable for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks Monday night.
#NEBHInjuryReport Marcus Smart (left oblique tear) has been upgraded to QUESTIONABLE for game 4 tomorrow night.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 5, 2019
Smart suffered a left oblique tear last April 7 in a regular season game against the Orlando Magic. He has already missed the first round of the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers, and initial reports indicated that he could also miss the entire second round.
Fortunately, Smart made significant progress over the past month which led to his participation in 3-on-3 scrimmages on Saturday. Less than 24 hours later, he has been cleared for full contact drills and now the chances of him playing tomorrow are significantly higher. A decision on his final status is expected to come hours before tip-off.
The 25-year-old guard is one of the Celtics' best defenders. He will definitely give them a boost in Game 4, as he's expected to guard Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe at every given opportunity. In addition, he's also a great spot-up shooter and floor spacer.
Smart averaged 8.8 points on 42 percent shooting from the field, including 36 percent from deep. He will be able to help Kyrie Irving fend off double teams as Milwaukee will be wise enough not to leave him open, especially in the 3-point area.
However, even if he ends up sitting out the fourth game of the series, his imminent return is already a welcome sign for the Celtics. They have prepared themselves for his potentially long absence, and they're just glad that it's no longer the case.
The Celtics trail the Bucks in the series 2-1.
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