Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart is currently trying to get back to action after undergoing a surgery to repair a thumb injury, but he has a bigger health concern to worry about. According to Jay King of The Athletic, Smart has just been made aware that his mother is suffering from cancer.

Smart recently found out his mother has cancer. He visited her briefly last week. She wants him with the Celtics. Told him it would bring a smile to her face to see him back on the court.

Smart has not played a game in over a month after because of a torn tendon in his right thumb that required him to go under the knife last month.

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Smart is one of the toughest players around in the NBA today, but personal issues such as his mother’s health issue could understandably throw him off mentally. Having said that, Smart is expected to return to the Celtics’ fold at some point in these playoffs, likely during the later parts of the first-round series with the Milwaukee Bucks assuming that it will get extended to at least six or seven games.

For the meantime, Boston’s point guard duties are being handled mostly by the pair of Terry Rozier and Shane Larkin. Rozier has done a fantastic job starting for the Celtics in Game 1, scoring 23 points on 7-for-18 shooting from the floor to go with four rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes. Larkin, on the other hand, had five points in 16 minutes off the bench.

The Celtics are definitely missing Smart, particularly his presence on defense, but if Smart needs more time to be with mother, Boston has every reason to afford him that.