Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Mon 10/24/16 2:49 PM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart (ankle) is improving but remains without a return timetable, Scott Souza of the Providence Journal reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smart sprained his left ankle in last Wednesday's preseason finale and has remained limited in the day since, but coach Brad Stevens stopped short of ruling the guard out of the team's season opener Wednesday against the Nets. At this point, it appears rather unlikely that Smart will be available Wednesday, but more should be known following Tuesday's session. If Smart is ultimately held out, Terry Rozier would be in line for increased minutes.
Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Sat 10/22/16 2:54 PM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart (ankle) has not been definitely ruled out for the Celtics season opener against the Nets, Chris Forsberg of ESPN reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smart is already out of his protective boot, and has been able to work out around the weight room. Head coach Brad Stevens indicated on Saturday that Smart "looked a lot better". The team does not expect him to practice Monday, but they will see how the young guard is progressing at that point in time. Smart was originally expected to miss a couple weeks of action, so this is optimistic news. The third year guard averaged 27 minutes per game in each of his first two season, and figures to see a similar workload this season.
Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Thu 10/20/16 4:51 PM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart (ankle) is doubtful for the regular season opener, A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportsnet New England reports. "Obviously, we'll be very careful with him," Celtics GM Danny Ainge said. "The next few days we'll have a better indication on Marcus' ankle and how much it swells. It didn't seem to be a terrible one, and yet he was in some pain so it is a little bit concerning."
EDGE Analysis
It was announced Wednesday that Smart was expected to miss multiple weeks and this latest reports only seems to confirm that original timetable. Smart is going to have additional tests performed in the next couple of days, but as it currently stands, he's not on track to be ready for the Oct. 26 opener against the Nets. Look for his status to be updated in the near future, but if he misses time, Terry Rozier would be the main beneficiary of playing time.
Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Wed 10/19/16 9:59 PM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart is expected to miss a couple of weeks after injuring his ankle during Wednesday's preseason game, A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportnet New England reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smart was pulled from Wednesday's game after just 16 minutes and is now expected to miss multiple weeks. With that timeline, Smart would miss the season opener for sure and potentially a few games after that. If Smart does end up missing some regular season action, Terry Rozier would likely be the biggest beneficiary and would move into the backup point guard role behind Isaiah Thomas. Smart will likely have his ankle tested again in the near future, but for now, it appears as if he'll start the regular season on the sidelines.
Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Wed 10/19/16 8:52 PM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart will not return to Wednesday's preseason finale against the Knicks after spraining his left ankle.
EDGE Analysis
Smart recorded six points, two rebounds, and an assist in 16 minutes prior to sustaining the injury. He appeared to be in legitimate pain after the injury occurred, and was subsequently helped to the locker room. The severity of the injury is unknown at this time, but it certainly puts his availability for next Wednesday's season opener in question. Expect an update when the Celtics release more information regarding his status.
Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Wed 10/19/16 6:21 PM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart is in the starting lineup at shooting guard for Wednesday's preseason finale against the Knicks, Jay King of MassLive.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smart and Terry Rozier will start in the backcourt, with both Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley getting the night off for rest. Smart expects to come off the bench as Thomas' backup at point guard once the regular season is here, but he should be able to see his workload increased Wednesday while operating as a starter.
Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Fri 10/14/16 9:35 AM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart provided 13 points (4-10 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 5-6 FT), four assists, three rebounds and two steals across 22 minutes in Thursday's 100-97 preseason win over the Nets.
EDGE Analysis
With Evan Turner bolting for the Trail Blazers this offseason, the pressure is on Smart to produce more efficient scoring for the Celtics' second unit, and he's been mostly up to the task through his four preseason appearances. He's averaged 10.0 points on 47 percent shooting to go along with 3.2 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals across 23.2 minutes per game. The shooting percentage in particular is a dramatic improvement over what Smart has posted through the first two seasons of his career, but the third-year combo guard still remains a liability from the outside. He's connected on only two of his 14 three-point tries during the exhibition schedule.
Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Thu 10/6/16 6:07 PM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart (ankle) will be available Thursday against the Hornets, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smart was initially listed as questionable with a sprained left ankle, but he's been given the green light to play Thursday. Considering it's only a preseason game, Smart's workload figures to be monitored closely.
Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Thu 10/6/16 11:04 AM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart (ankle) will not participate in Thursday's shoot around but is expected to play against the Hornets, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smart, who is dealing with a twisted left ankle, still managed to play 26 minutes in the team's loss to the 76ers on Tuesday and when exactly he suffered the injury is currently unknown. However, it appears that it is nothing serious as the Celtics have the intention of letting Smart play. Being the preseason, though, expect the guard's minutes to be limited on Thursday.
Marcus Smart G/SF LAL Wed 10/5/16 1:14 PM
Marcus Smart
G/SF LAL
Smart compiled 10 points (5-10 FG, 0-3 3Pt), three rebounds, three assists and two steals across 26 minutes in Tuesday's 92-89 preseason loss to the 76ers.
EDGE Analysis
While Smart did well to knock down half of his shot attempts, his poor showing from three-point range was a familiar sight for a player who has struggled to add a long-range element to his game through his first two seasons in the league. Smart's airtight defense and ability to matchup with point guards and small forwards should translate to more playing time this season as he slides into the departed Evan Turner's old sixth man role, but until he develops more consistency with his outside shot, an offensive breakout probably won't be attainable.