Celtics pegging return for Marcus Smart around New Year's
Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart should be ready to return to action around the end of December or beginning of January, team president Danny Ainge told 98.5 The Sports Hub on Thursday.
"Marcus had a really good day (at practice Wednesday)," Ainge told the radio station. "He got out on the court for the first time and he's running around and felt good. Barring any setbacks, I think it's probably looking closer to the end of this month or the beginning of the new year."
Smart has missed 17 of 26 games this season, including the last 14 with a lower left leg subluxation injury.
Smart is the team's starter at the point, but has had issues staying healthy in two seasons in the NBA. He missed 15 games in his rookie year, mostly due to an ankle injury. A player still developing a shooting stroke, Smart has a field-goal percentage of 33.3 this season with averages of 9.8 points and 3.2 assists.
- With h/t to Masslive.com