The Boston Celtics’ list of injured players could be getting shorter in the near future.
While Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Daniel Theis will be unavailable for Boston throughout its postseason run, the door was left open for Marcus Smart, who underwent surgery March 16 to repair a torn ligament in his thumb.
After getting shots up Sunday before the Celtics’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of their first-round NBA playoff series, Smart delivered a promising update regarding his return to game action.
“Today was the first day with the new splint on to actually get out here and do something. So, the thumb felt well,” Smart said, per ESPN’s Chris Forsberg.
“We’re on track for (a return in the) next three weeks, possibly Game 7 of the first round, (but) definitely second round. So, we’re on the right path.”
Considering the back-and-forth nature of Game 1, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the series against the Bucks go the distance. Regardless, it’s clear that the farther Boston marches in the playoffs, the more likely Smart will re-enter the fold.
