NBA Rumors: Marcus Smart May Miss Remainder Of Season With A Thumb Injury
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart is currently out indefinitely due to a tendon injury in his right thumb, but head coach Brad Stevens has recently admitted that the lockdown defender is facing the possibility of surgery, and he may have to sit out the rest of the 2017-18 season.
"[Smart will] go talk to another doc about what his chances are of playing without further injury, and also if he needs surgery or not, and what the recovery time would be," Stevens told reporters before the Celtics took on the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, via ESPN.
"After all that information is gathered, he'll make a decision [next week], along with all of us, about the rest of the year," he continued.
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Stevens also talked about Smart's injury during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Zolak & Bertrand" podcast on Wednesday.
"There could be a slight chance that he's back sooner rather than later, but I'd say that it's not going to be any time too soon," Stevens noted. "And there's a chance that he would not be back," he added.
Losing Smart for the rest of the season would be a huge blow for the Celtics because he is their best perimeter defender. Right now, he will wait to see how his thumb responds to treatment before he seeks a second opinion.
Smart injured his right thumb when he dove for a loose ball in the third quarter of the Celtics' 99-97 loss to the Indiana Pacers this past Sunday. But, the team initially thought it was only a sprain because Smart managed to return to the game after getting the thumb taped.
Smart is averaging 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals in under 30 minutes a game this season, and he is shooting 36.7 percent from the field, 30.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 72.9 percent from the free-throw line.
