Smart will come off the bench for Friday's game against the Raptors, Jay King of MassLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Smart had started the previous five games at shooting guard due to injuries on the wing, but rookie Jaylen Brown's return from injury will put Smart back into a reserve role Friday. He still figures to see heavy minutes with Avery Bradley still out, but they could be slightly reduced from the 35.3 he was averaging in his last five starts.

Smart totaled just five points (1-5 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT), four rebounds, three assists and one steal over 33 minutes in Thursday's 104-103 loss to the Bulls.

EDGE Analysis

Smart couldn't come close to replicating his stellar performance from a night earlier against the Sixers that included a whopping eight steals, and ended up committing a game-changing foul that directly led to the loss to boot. The third-year pro appeared to play superb defense against Jimmy Butler on the latter's desperation shot attempt at the buzzer until the he grazed his elbow as the ball was leaving his hand, prompting the referee's whistle. Butler drained the subsequent pair of free throws to effectively seal the win for the Bulls and cap off a generally forgettable night for Smart. The game marked the end of a six-game streak of double-digit scoring for the 22-year-old, as he took his lowest amount of shot attempts since Jan. 25. With both Avery Bradley (Achilles) and Jaylen Brown (hip) possibly returning after the All-Star break, Smart may be heading back to the bench, although he'll still be expected to see at least 25 minutes per night in that scenario.

SMart scored 20 points (7-11 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 4-7 FT) with eight steals, five rebounds, five assists and one block across 34 minutes in a 116-106 win over the 76ers on Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

Wednesday's game marked Smart's fourth consecutive start and the Celtics fourth consecutive win-- he's averaging an even 17 points per game over that span as a starter. Smart's 21 points against the Sixers was just his second 20-plus point game all season and his eight swipes set a new career-high. The 22-year-old has really come into his own in the absence of Avery Bradley and Jaylen Brown. Smart's ability to sustain his high-level of play will be worth monitoring once Bradley and Brown return-- both players are expected back in the lineup soon after the All Star break.m

As expected, Smart will start at shooting guard in Wednesday's game against the 76ers, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

With both Avery Bradley and Jaylen Brown sidelined, Smart figures to see a heavy workload at shooting guard. Bradley hinted at a return following the All Star game, so Smart will presumably see his minutes slightly decrease going forward, but he should see plenty of time on the floor Wednesday.

Smart tallied 19 points (6-11 FG, 3-7 3pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block over 35 minutes in Monday's 111-98 win over the Mavericks.

EDGE Analysis

As long as Avery Bradley (Achilles) is out, Smart will be putting up quality numbers. Even the return of Jae Crowder (personal) didn't affect Smart's fourth consecutive start, as he logged a team-leading 35 minutes on the court. With Bradey and Jaylen Brown (hip) likely out until the All-Star break, Smart will figure to play a big role in the offense on Wednesday against the 76ers.

Smart totaled 10 points (4-11 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, five assists and three steals over 37 minutes in Saturday's 112-104 win over the Jazz.

EDGE Analysis

Smart logged a second straight start in Jae Crowder's (personal) stead, and he provided solid production across the stat sheet once again. The 22-year-old has posted four straight double-digit scoring efforts while also averaging 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.3 steals over that span. Even if he shifts back to the second unit against the Mavs on Monday, Smart has proven capable of numbers along the lines of his Saturday stat line while coming off the bench in the past.

Smart provided 18 points (8-13 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-3 FT), six rebounds, five assists and five steals over 38 minutes in Thursday's 120-111 victory over the Trail Blazers.

EDGE Analysis

Smart slotted in to the first unit with Jae Crowder (personal) out of action and provided outstanding returns all around as a complementary presence to Isaiah Thomas. The third-year pro was excellent on the defensive end in particular, recording five thefts for the second time in the last four games in the process. Smart remained hot from the field as well, and has now shot 55.2 percent (16-for-29) over the last three contests. While his offensive contributions are far from consistent, Smart's ability to fill out the stat sheet -- and his ample playing time even when on the second unit -- keep him as a valuable commodity in all formats.

Smart will draw the start for Thursday's tilt against the Trail Blazers.

EDGE Analysis

With Jae Crowder (personal) out for Thursday's contest, coach Brad Stevens has opted to insert Smart into the starting five. Over the past six games, Smart has averaged 10.7 points, 5.0 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 31.7 minutes per game, but could be in line for extra usage Thursday.

Smart contributed nine points (3-10 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), seven assists, five steals and three rebounds in 32 minutes Friday during a 113-107 win over the Lakers.

EDGE Analysis

Smart can't shoot to save his life -- he's converted on just 35.6 percent of his field-goal attempts this season -- but he's improved as a distributor and is as dogged as ever on defense. Smart dished out seven dimes on Friday, bringing his season average to 4.7, significantly higher than the 3.5 per game from his rookie season. He's also upped his on-court thievery recently, and after ripping off five steals against the Lakers, he's averaging 2.0 thefts over his last 10 games.

Smart finished with eight points (3-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt), 11 assists, two rebounds, and one steal across 23 minutes during Friday's 128-98 victory over the Magic.

EDGE Analysis

Coach Brad Stevens elected to bring Smart off the bench, giving Jaylen Brown the start at shooting guard. However, that move freed Smart to play more of a point guard role off the bench, allowing him to dish out 11 assists in only 23 minutes. The Celtics shot a scorching-hot 56.2 percent on the game, so Smart likely won't be putting up 11 assists on a typical night where his teammates miss more of their attempts.