Marcus Smart has been ruled out for the Boston Celtics' Saturday night game against the Los Angeles Lakers, per Keith Smith. The Celtics will be without their guard, who's dealing with a right ankle sprain.
The Celtics are aiming to get fully healthy sooner rather than later. Veteran forward Danilo Gallinari is hoping he can return this season for Boston. As for Smart, he's dealt with various injury concerns throughout the year. Boston will proceed with caution as Smart looks to return to full health.
Marcus Smart is averaging 11 points per game on 42 percent field goal and 33 percent three-point shooting. He's also dishing out 7 assists per contest for the Celtics. And he has continued to play an impressive brand of defense, averaging over 1 steal per game.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown understandably receive the majority of the attention for Boston. They make-up a star-studded duo and are two of the best players in the league. However, Smart plays an X-Factor type of role. In addition to his numbers, he provides energy and hustle for this team.
In the end, the Celtics have the best record in the NBA. Although Smart's absence is far from ideal, they will remain confident about their chances of defeating a Lakers team that has battled mediocrity throughout the 2022-2023 campaign.
With that being said, Boston and Marcus Smart are hopeful that he will avoid missing a significant amount of time moving forward.
We will continue to provide updates on Smart and the Celtics as they are made available.