Celtics' Marcus Smart and Al Horford OUT Tonight vs. Heat
The Boston Celtics were dealt a pair of big blows just hours before the Eastern Conference Finals tip-off in Miami Tuesday night. Al Horford and Marcus Smart will not take the court against the Heat in the series opener.
Celtics? Al Horford and Marcus Smart are out for Game 1 vs. Miami tonight. Horford is in health and safety protocols.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 17, 2022
Smart was listed as questionable with a right foot sprain on Monday and kept that tag until it became clear he could not give it a go tonight. The injury to Boston’s point guard came out after the Celtics’ 109-81 Game 7 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.
The former Oklahoma State standout logged 37 minutes and racked up 11 points, ten assists, and seven rebounds as Boston eliminated the defending champs. Smart was dealing with a right quad contusion in the C’s grueling seven-game set with the Bucks.
Smart led the Celtics in assists with 5.9 per game during the regular season. He also contributed 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals a night.
Derrick White will most likely start in place of Smart, and Payton Pritchard should see more time on the floor.
Over at FanDuel Sportsbook, the line has shifted fairly substantially following this news. Boston went from +108 to +166 on the moneyline and up to a +4.5 point road dog, a swing of three points.
