At the NBA All-Star break, we still didn't know what the 2020-21 edition of the Boston Celtics look like completely healthy.
That might finally be about to change.
After practicing Wednesday and getting some 5-on-5 work in for the first time in his rehab, guard Marcus Smart revealed that he plans to make his return Thursday as the Celtics travel to play the Brooklyn Nets.
“They cleared me and said if today went well, I’m probably most likely going to play (Thursday) unless things change," Smart said. "As of right now, I will be playing in the game.”
Smart has been out of commission since suffering a partially torn calf Jan. 30 in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The original timetable given for his recovery was 2-3 weeks. But it seems a unique season with minimal practices had some hand in a delay.
“I’ve been playing against my player coach here, just 1-on-1, trying our best to put me in game-like positions to get ready,” Smart said. “I’ve been doing a lot of calf raises, strengthening the calf, and just really working on everything to make sure that the rest of my body isn’t compensating because of the calf.”
Smart is not on Wednesday's injury report, which lists just Romeo Langford as out due to health and safety protocols.
Boston has missed Smart tremendously thus far. But finally, things are looking up.
