Should we be worried about Marcus Smart's mysterious toe injury?
Update:
Smart clearly still struggling with the nagging pain in his toe, Mark Murphy reports:
Smart limped out in sandals to meet the media today. Calling it a sprained toe. Questionable for tomorrow against Washington.
— Mark Murphy (@Murf56) November 5, 2015
It's looking less likely that we will see Marcus playing against Washington on Friday night. This tweet comes after Souza's tweet and if Smart is still limping, he probably won't be playing tomorrow.
End of update.
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Update:
Scott Souza reports that Smart is feeling better and may play Friday.
#Celtics coach Brad Stevens: Marcus Smart sat today, doing better, if makes similar progress tomorrow may play Friday night.
— Scott Souza (@Scott_Souza) November 5, 2015
End of update. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Just before the tilt with the Indiana Pacers last night, news broke that Marcus Smart was not in the starting lineup. Isaiah Thomas got the nod, which Celtics fans have reasons to be excited about, but why Marcus Smart wasn't starting put a damper on the lineup change. Per Adam Himmelsbach:
Marcus Smart (sprained toe) is out tonight for the Celtics.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) November 4, 2015
Smart, who missed 15 games in his rookie season, has been vulnerable to injuries in his time with the Celtics. Smart started last year's campaign with a sprained ankle that sidelined him for 10 games, and then an achilles injury kept him off the court in early December. Now, four games into the 2015-16 season, Smart might see some time on the pine with a plaguing toe injury. Is it cause to worry? Smart has been a spark plug for the C's through the first three games, as he's been an elite defender, and a decent offensive option. Isaiah Thomas was able to step up as a distributor in the first half against the Pacers last night, and then as a scoring threat in the second half, but there was a clear hole in the second unit with a rookie Rozier on the floor.
What's odd about this injury, though, is that there hadn't been any conversations about Smart's toe and the truth is, nobody really knows how it happened:
Brad Stevens says he doesn't know when Smart injured his toe. Says Smart doesn't know either.
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) November 4, 2015
Steve Bulpett and Adam Himmelsbach also said that Smart was wearing a walking boot on his foot in the locker room before the game. The second-year guard was not even on the bench in Indianapolis as Himmelsbach explains:
No sign of Marcus Smart on the Celtics bench, but Stevens said he'd likely be getting treatment during game. Was in a boot in locker room.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) November 5, 2015
Hopefully the injury isn't too serious and Smart will be able to suit up for the Celtics game at home on Friday against the Washington Wizards.
Topher Lane is on Twitter, @Topher_L. Photo credit: Aaron Gash/Associated Press