After winning the first two games of their first-round matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics saw their series lead evaporate with Giannis Antetokounmpo and company taking both Games 3 and 4 on their home turf. With the series now tied at 2-2, the sense of urgency for Boston to get Marcus Smart back into action has definitely increased.

According to the Celtics’ official Twitter account, Smart is questionable to play Game 5 this Tuesday, meaning there’s a likelihood that the former Oklahoma State Cowboy will return a game earlier than originally expected.

The initial target for Smart was to play in either Game 6 or 7, but a Game 5 appearance would not come as a surprise anymore given the questionable tag he received from the team.

Marcus Smart has not seen action since Mar. 11 because of a thumb injury that needed a surgical procedure to repair.

If Smart gets ultimately allowed to play in Game 5, then expect Shane Larkin’s minutes to go down. Larkin is averaging 18.0 minutes per game in the series but is barely contributing to the team, putting up just 4.5 points and handing out 2.3 assists over the last four contests. He did not score in 17 minutes of action in Game 4.

Smart concluded the regular season with averages of 10.2 points, 4.8 assist, and 3.5 rebounds per game. His presence on the defensive end of the court is what the Celtics are missing the most from him in the Bucks series, as Milwaukee is shooting 54.2 percent from the field in these playoffs, the best mark among all teams in the postseason.