BOSTON — A promising young rookie season took a major hit Friday night when Celtics guard Marcus Smart was forced to leave the game with a lower left injury.
Smart drove to the hoop on a fourth-quarter fast break when Indiana Pacers guard A.J. Price corralled the rookie around the arms and yanked him to the ground. Replays showed Smart’s left ankle bend violently, and he immediately grabbed his left shin.
The severity of Smart’s injury was not immediately known.
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Smart remained on the ground for several minutes, in obvious pain, before he finally was brought off the TD Garden court on a stretcher.
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Teammates surrounded Smart in concern. Jared Sullinger and Evan Turner both directed long stares toward the Pacers’ bench while the Celtics’ medical staff attended to Smart.
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UPDATE (10:49 p.m.):Â ESPN’s Jeff Goodman offered an update on Smart’s condition, citing sources.
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Head coach Brad Stevens said after Boston’s 101-98 win that Smart will not travel with the team to Chicago, where the Celtics will play the Bulls on Saturday night.
