Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been sidelined with an oblique tear since April 7. He's making progress in rehab, but it sounds like he still needs some time to fully recover.
According to a report from Jay King of The Athletic, Smart put some time in on a treadmill during Tuesday morning's practice session. This is certainly good news for Celtics fans, but King says Smart isn't close to playing:
Brad Stevens said Smart has made good progress, but still isn’t close to playing. https://t.co/Imf3HF9kQI
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) April 23, 2019
Smart, who was originally given a 4-6 week timeline, says he's happy with the progress he has made, but agrees that he isn't ready to play yet:
“I’m obviously nowhere near coming back, but to be able to get back on the court, get some shots up, and be able to do a [few] more things actively is great progress for me,” Smart told the Boston Globe after Friday's practice.
Last week, Smart told the Boston Globe that he was still experiencing a bit of pain when laughing:
“It still hurts real bad to laugh, cough or sneeze,” Smart said. “But the everyday stuff is getting better walking, getting out of bed and things like that… Still in pain with certain movements. [Tuesday] was my first day being able to walk without grimacing in any pain.”
Jaylen Brown has been starting in Smart's place. Celtics fans should look for that trend to continue as the team moves into the second round of the playoffs.
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