The Boston Celtics' Marcus Smart is out nursing an injured thumb. He is set to be re-evaluated next week and according to a report from Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, he'll be back come playoff time, specifically in the conference semifinals.
According to a league source, Celtics guard Marcus Smart is scheduled to have his right thumb reevaluated by doctors next week, at which time an updated timetable for his return could become more clear. As of now, conference semifinals remain the most likely possibility.
To recall, Smart suffered a torn tendon in his right thumb in a loss to the Indiana Pacers on March 11. Smart is averaging 10.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game.
A little over a week after his injury, Smart vented out his frustrations. He's not used to watching from the sidelines. Yet he knows that this is all part of the healing process. As reported by Jared Weiss of The Boston Globe:
Article Continues Below“It drives me insane,” Smart told the Globe. “You get to the gym, walk in, and really that’s it. I don’t put on a jersey and don’t do any of that. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life, so it does drive me a little crazy. But it’s a bigger picture, and my time is going to come.”
Head coach Brad Stevens, for his part, acknowledged that he has to include Smart in every aspect of the game despite being sidelined. He knows how hard it is for Smart:
“We’re trying to get him as engaged as possible,” Brad Stevens said. “He’s in every film session, he’s at every practice, and he’s at every game. But it’s hard when you’re unable to play the game. That’s a hard thing to handle emotionally, because he is a competitor.”