Boston Celtics combo guard Marcus Smart says he's making good progress in his recovery from an oblique injury he suffered at the end of the regular season.

Smart played some one-on-one with Celtics assistant Alex Barlow on Thursday and said the pain is a lot better than it was last week.

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Smart won't play in Game 3 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday and he'll probably be out for Game 4 as well. The Celtics and Bucks are tied at 1-1.

During the regular season, Smart averaged 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. He shot 42.2 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from beyond the arc and 80.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Kyrie Irving is the best player on the Celtics, but many believe Smart is the most important player on the team. The energy and toughness he plays with makes the Celtics a more dangerous team. Smart is always the first one to take a charge or dive onto the floor for a loose ball. The 25-year-old Texas native is regarded as one of the top perimeter defenders in the NBA.

The Celtics suffered their first loss of the postseason in Game 2. They'll look to protect home-court in Games 3 and 4 and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.