The absence of Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics’ lineup is reportedly expected to continue over the next few weeks.

While making an appearance on NBA Countdown on Sunday, NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that Smart is still not near to returning to court and will remain on the sidelines at least through the All-Star break (March 5th to March 10th).

Smart suffered a Grade 1 calf strain in January against the Los Angeles Lakers. The injury came at a bad time for the 26-year-old guard as he was having a career season, averaging 13.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.

Without Smart, the Celtics’ season has taken a turn for the worst as the team obviously misses his leadership and elite defense. In 12 games without Smart, Boston compiled a 5-7 record while stumbling to No. 6 in the Eastern Conference.

Marcus Smart, who was the franchise’s No. 6 selection in 2014, has become an extremely valuable player for the Celtics in recent years. Despite not being a volume scorer, he affects the game in other ways, and the team often has trouble replacing him when he’s out.

Smart was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in consecutive years while also receiving an NBA Hustle Award in 2019.

The post Celtics’ Marcus Smart Won’t Return Before All-Star Break appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Boston Celtics are currently going through a rough stretch, having lost five out of their last seven games. And it could get worse, as the team learned on Monday that their guard Marcus Smart is set to miss several weeks recovering from a calf strain.

Smart got hurt on Sunday early in the fourth quarter of Boston’s 96-95 loss to the reigning NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers. The 26-year-old guard was going for a defensive rebound after the Lakers’ Montrezl Harrell missed an easy layup and landed awkwardly. He immediately went to the hardwood and needed help to exit to the locker room.

According to The Associated Press, Smart had an MRI on Monday, and it was revealed that he suffered a Grade 1 calf strain. The expected downtime for this injury is two to three weeks, but the Celtics are reportedly optimistic that the player might get back even earlier.

Marcus Smart has been great for the Boston Celtics lately, averaging a career-high 13.1 points and 6.1 assists per game to start the 2020-21 NBA season. He has also been a big part of the team’s defense as always and is already a candidate for an NBA All-Defensive First Team selection for the third consecutive year.

This all makes Smart extremely valuable to Boston, and it remains to be seen how they will manage to cope without him for the upcoming trip to the West. The Celtics are set to play five away games against teams from the Western Conference, including the LA Clippers and Utah Jazz.

The post Celtics’ Marcus Smart Out for Several Weeks with a Calf Strain appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Guard Marcus Smart, who was a restricted agent this summer, has signed a new deal with the Boston Celtics. Smart and Celtics reportedly agreed to a four-year contract worth around $52 million. The news was confirmed on the Celtics’ social media.

Welcome back, @smart_MS3 pic.twitter.com/WoESnLR7rU

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) July 19, 2018

“Boston loves me, I love Boston,” – said Smart after inking the deal. “Boston wants me to be here, I want to be here. So, we made it work.”

According to Yahoo Sports, Marcus Smart met with several other teams including the Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies but was set on working out a long-term extension with the Celtics. Now, with the stress of contract negotiations and uncertainty being behind him, Smart will focus on improving his game.

“Each year I’ve expanded my game,” – he said. “This year I showed my ability to be more of a point guard and a playmaker. I’m just going to keep working on all aspects to improve my game, trying to master a little bit of everything.”

Marcus Smart, who was drafted sixth overall by the Celtics in the 2014 NBA Draft, established himself as an important part of the team’s in the recent seasons. He does a little bit of everything and is a great defender, which perfectly matches with coach Brad Stevens’ system. He averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game in the past season and played an important part in Celtics’ long playoff run.

The post Marcus Smart and Celtics Agree to 4-year, $52 Million Contract appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart is about to become a restricted free agent in the offseason, but it looks like the 24-year-old guard already knows where he wants to play next season.

“I’m here. They’re already planning for me to be here,” – said Smart to reporters after Game 7 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. “Those guys, I tip my hat to those guys. You don’t see a lot of organizations that are as clear about their players as the way this organization does it.“

Marcus Smart established himself as a valuable player for the Celtics in the past couple of seasons, doing a bit of everything. He isn’t a volume scorer, but different ways he impacts the game might make him a valuable addition to a contender.

“I got a lot to think about. There’s a lot of factors that go into it. But that being said, I want to be in Boston. I want to be here,” – Smart added. “I love this city, I love this team, I love the atmosphere it gives off. I’ve been here for four years. My heart’s here. But there’s definitely going to be some factors going into it.“

Given the fact that he is a restricted free agent, Celtics would have to match outside offer if they want to keep Smart on their team. There is also an option for Smart to sign the $6.1 million qualifying offer with the Celtics, and then test the unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019. He previously told ESPN that he is worth more than $12 million to $14 million per season, which are the offers he was projected to receive.

In the 2017-18 regular season, Marcus Smart averaged 10.2 points, 3.5 rebound, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

The post Celtics’ Marcus Smart Wants to Stay in Boston appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Boston Celtics will have to make the final push in the regular season without their guard Marcus Smart. The team announced that the 24-year-old underwent a surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb. This will keep Smart sidelined for six to eight weeks. The Celtics are hoping for the most optimistic outcome, meaning that he recovers in time for Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Marcus Smart injured his thumb in the first half of Sunday’s 97-99 loss to Indiana Pacers. The injury was initially regarded as a sprain, and Smart returned to court and finished the game. On Monday, however, additional tests showed that the injury is more serious and Smart opted for a surgery.

This is the second time this season he has been out with an injury. He missed 11 games before the All-Star break, after cutting his hand in a hotel in Los Angeles. According to Smart, this pause made him appreciate playing basketball even more.

“I love this game. I love to play,” – said Smart at the time. “So when that kinda gets taken away from you, temporarily or permanently, you kinda start realizing how much you do miss this game and how much it is easy to take it for granted when you can’t do that.“

Boston Celtics drafted Marcus Smart with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He played a solid rookie season while being selected in the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team. During his time with the Celtics, Smart became an important role player for the team and a big part of their system. In this season he has been averaging 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

The post Celtics’ Marcus Smart To Miss Six to Eight After Undergoing Right Thumb Surgery appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The absence of Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics’ lineup is reportedly expected to continue over the next few weeks.

While making an appearance on NBA Countdown on Sunday, NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that Smart is still not near to returning to court and will remain on the sidelines at least through the All-Star break (March 5th to March 10th).

Smart suffered a Grade 1 calf strain in January against the Los Angeles Lakers. The injury came at a bad time for the 26-year-old guard as he was having a career season, averaging 13.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.

Without Smart, the Celtics’ season has taken a turn for the worst as the team obviously misses his leadership and elite defense. In 12 games without Smart, Boston compiled a 5-7 record while stumbling to No. 6 in the Eastern Conference.

Marcus Smart, who was the franchise’s No. 6 selection in 2014, has become an extremely valuable player for the Celtics in recent years. Despite not being a volume scorer, he affects the game in other ways, and the team often has trouble replacing him when he’s out.

Smart was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in consecutive years while also receiving an NBA Hustle Award in 2019.

The post Celtics’ Marcus Smart Won’t Return Before All-Star Break appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Boston Celtics are currently going through a rough stretch, having lost five out of their last seven games. And it could get worse, as the team learned on Monday that their guard Marcus Smart is set to miss several weeks recovering from a calf strain.

Smart got hurt on Sunday early in the fourth quarter of Boston’s 96-95 loss to the reigning NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers. The 26-year-old guard was going for a defensive rebound after the Lakers’ Montrezl Harrell missed an easy layup and landed awkwardly. He immediately went to the hardwood and needed help to exit to the locker room.

According to The Associated Press, Smart had an MRI on Monday, and it was revealed that he suffered a Grade 1 calf strain. The expected downtime for this injury is two to three weeks, but the Celtics are reportedly optimistic that the player might get back even earlier.

Marcus Smart has been great for the Boston Celtics lately, averaging a career-high 13.1 points and 6.1 assists per game to start the 2020-21 NBA season. He has also been a big part of the team’s defense as always and is already a candidate for an NBA All-Defensive First Team selection for the third consecutive year.

This all makes Smart extremely valuable to Boston, and it remains to be seen how they will manage to cope without him for the upcoming trip to the West. The Celtics are set to play five away games against teams from the Western Conference, including the LA Clippers and Utah Jazz.

The post Celtics’ Marcus Smart Out for Several Weeks with a Calf Strain appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Guard Marcus Smart, who was a restricted agent this summer, has signed a new deal with the Boston Celtics. Smart and Celtics reportedly agreed to a four-year contract worth around $52 million. The news was confirmed on the Celtics’ social media.

Welcome back, @smart_MS3 pic.twitter.com/WoESnLR7rU

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) July 19, 2018

“Boston loves me, I love Boston,” – said Smart after inking the deal. “Boston wants me to be here, I want to be here. So, we made it work.”

According to Yahoo Sports, Marcus Smart met with several other teams including the Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies but was set on working out a long-term extension with the Celtics. Now, with the stress of contract negotiations and uncertainty being behind him, Smart will focus on improving his game.

“Each year I’ve expanded my game,” – he said. “This year I showed my ability to be more of a point guard and a playmaker. I’m just going to keep working on all aspects to improve my game, trying to master a little bit of everything.”

Marcus Smart, who was drafted sixth overall by the Celtics in the 2014 NBA Draft, established himself as an important part of the team’s in the recent seasons. He does a little bit of everything and is a great defender, which perfectly matches with coach Brad Stevens’ system. He averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game in the past season and played an important part in Celtics’ long playoff run.

The post Marcus Smart and Celtics Agree to 4-year, $52 Million Contract appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart is about to become a restricted free agent in the offseason, but it looks like the 24-year-old guard already knows where he wants to play next season.

“I’m here. They’re already planning for me to be here,” – said Smart to reporters after Game 7 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. “Those guys, I tip my hat to those guys. You don’t see a lot of organizations that are as clear about their players as the way this organization does it.“

Marcus Smart established himself as a valuable player for the Celtics in the past couple of seasons, doing a bit of everything. He isn’t a volume scorer, but different ways he impacts the game might make him a valuable addition to a contender.

“I got a lot to think about. There’s a lot of factors that go into it. But that being said, I want to be in Boston. I want to be here,” – Smart added. “I love this city, I love this team, I love the atmosphere it gives off. I’ve been here for four years. My heart’s here. But there’s definitely going to be some factors going into it.“

Given the fact that he is a restricted free agent, Celtics would have to match outside offer if they want to keep Smart on their team. There is also an option for Smart to sign the $6.1 million qualifying offer with the Celtics, and then test the unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019. He previously told ESPN that he is worth more than $12 million to $14 million per season, which are the offers he was projected to receive.

In the 2017-18 regular season, Marcus Smart averaged 10.2 points, 3.5 rebound, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

The post Celtics’ Marcus Smart Wants to Stay in Boston appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Boston Celtics will have to make the final push in the regular season without their guard Marcus Smart. The team announced that the 24-year-old underwent a surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb. This will keep Smart sidelined for six to eight weeks. The Celtics are hoping for the most optimistic outcome, meaning that he recovers in time for Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Marcus Smart injured his thumb in the first half of Sunday’s 97-99 loss to Indiana Pacers. The injury was initially regarded as a sprain, and Smart returned to court and finished the game. On Monday, however, additional tests showed that the injury is more serious and Smart opted for a surgery.

This is the second time this season he has been out with an injury. He missed 11 games before the All-Star break, after cutting his hand in a hotel in Los Angeles. According to Smart, this pause made him appreciate playing basketball even more.

“I love this game. I love to play,” – said Smart at the time. “So when that kinda gets taken away from you, temporarily or permanently, you kinda start realizing how much you do miss this game and how much it is easy to take it for granted when you can’t do that.“

Boston Celtics drafted Marcus Smart with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He played a solid rookie season while being selected in the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team. During his time with the Celtics, Smart became an important role player for the team and a big part of their system. In this season he has been averaging 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

The post Celtics’ Marcus Smart To Miss Six to Eight After Undergoing Right Thumb Surgery appeared first on SportzBonanza.