Marcus Smart

Just came out, torn oblique. Will miss at least first two series, or????who knows

oh man...that stinks!!!!

Ugh.

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-celtics-g-marcus-smart-could-miss-first-2-rounds-of-playoffs-with-oblique-injury-225646994.html

Just when I thought we had a healthy roster this happens.

I am going to assume that Brown moves back into the starting lineup. It also means more minutes for Terry Rozier.

The Celtics will miss Smart's defensive impact and also his scoring. That last part is not something I would have said last year.

This could be the chance, maybe if they get thru the first series, that Semi gets minutes, he has a big body. Stevens claims he is the most improved on the team, so you never know

Rosalie

I do expect to see Semi get some minutes.  He is an above average defender.

Last year the Celtics would not have made it past the Bucks without Marcus.

Last year Brown averaged 32 MPP during the playoffs.  

Rozier is likely to see some minutes at the 2 guard and you still have JT and GH who can give us a few minutes there as well.

I think GH will get plenty of opportunities to run the offense.  

The Celtics will have to get through 2 series without Marcus.  That is one tough pill to swallow.

The Celtics cannot compensate for those spectacular plays that Marcus seems to make every game.  

Guys will need to step up to the task bigtime.

Overall this is such a downer but I am reminded that Boston went to the playoffs last year without GH and without their #1 guy Kyrie Irving.  I know it is a different year but my gut tells me our fellas will rise to th occasion.

John Karalis @RedsArmy_John
about 1 hour ago
Celtics officially release a statement on Smart. saying he suffered a partial avulsion of his left oblique abdominal muscle off of his iliac crest. Smart is currently expected to return to basketball activities in 4-6 weeks


bob
MY NOTE:  If Brad is a good learner he won't be playing key players in meaningless games at this time next season.



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bobheckler wrote:John Karalis @RedsArmy_John
about 1 hour ago
Celtics officially release a statement on Smart. saying he suffered a partial avulsion of his left oblique abdominal muscle off of his iliac crest. Smart is currently expected to return to basketball activities in 4-6 weeks


bob
MY NOTE:  If Brad is a good learner he won't be playing key players in meaningless games at this time next season.



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Come on Bob....really? Blaming Brad?

Smart plays hard every night, this could have happened any of the other 81 games this year as well. Injuries are no ones fault. Poor form.

Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. They can happen 5 minutes into the first game of the season or in game #81.

That's a REALLY big intangible and intangible to lose going into the playoffs.  We are just going to have to see how big of a hole that leaves.  He's the one that got us to this point, plain and simple.

Certainly that changes the 4-1 or sweep to at least a 6 game series.  we will probably have to use the home court advantage we earned the hard way just to win this series.  

Not good.  Not good at all. A shame Marcus has to be Moses in this case. He did nothing wrong. Moses did.  

db

There is a realistic chance Marcus going down will serve as a positive catalyst for the group to come together on the defensive end and play some real team defense, which has been (prior to this year) a hallmark of the Brad Stevens era. Hard to predict what this group will do but the trend towards a team game has been much better the last few weeks and now that has to accelerate on the defensive side without MS.

This current injury may again prove how valuable Smart is to the Celtics.

Good question - Was it fate or was he put in harm's way?

swish

The Celtics should be able to get past Indiana without Marcus Smart.  They will need to play excellent defense and also rely on another facilitator.  Marcus averaged 5.8 assist in 4 games this year against Indy.  Marcus has not scored that well against Indy in 4 games and he has not rebounded the ball well either.   See below:

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/splits/_/id/2990992/marcus-smart

These are primarily offensive stats but his defensive impact will be missed.  He averaged 2 steals per game.

One interesting thing is that Brad Stevens only played Marcus on average 25.5 MPG against Indiana which is below his season average of 27.5 MPG.  Stevens will increase or reduce minutes for certain players depending on Matchups.  You will see this throughout his roster.

Dig a little deeper and you will see that Jaylen Brown has been the guy who got more minutes against Indy them Marcus.  Jaylen averaged 29 MPG and 16.7 PPG with 6 rebounds  (3 games total)

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3917376/jaylen-brown

In sum I think Boston will be fine against indy with brown starting in place of Smart because during the regular season Brown overperformed his averages and Marcus underperformed against Indiana on offense averaging only 4.3 PPG and shot terrible from the field.  Brad played Brown more  than Marcus.

With that in mind I can see a 4-1 series win in this first round matchup provided someone steps up to help run the offense (GH)

I like your thinking dboss!

db

Hi,
Where Smart will sorely be missed is against Bucks.
I don't think we go any further this year. Alas.

AK

The only team in the east that scares me is the Raptors.  The Celtics have not beaten them in Toronto for years.

The Bucks are obviously a huge challenge as well.  And who can forget how Marcus changed the series last year when he came back from his injury.  His defense was the difference maker.

But this year we have more offense, at least on paper.  Will the Kyrie/Gordon combination offset the loss of the defensive presence of Marcus Smart?  The Bucks are hoping that Brogdon will be back.  He is coming off of a foot injury.  I see him as the difference maker for the Bucks.  

The harsh reality is that Boston will have to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals without Marcus Smart.  

First things first.  Let them go out and take care of the Pacers.

Dboss, I agree, they should be okay against Indy, in fact, maybe we or Danny/Brad will find another player to lean on when there are dry spells or shall I say spells where the defense goes dry. Jaylen will be the one who Brad leans on, but don’t sell Semi short. He could prove to be a real defensive asset during this time wit out Marcus. However, Marcus’s absence will hurt definitely during a series against the Bucks. But, Semi did a good job last year on Giannis.

We can only take it one game at a time

Rosalie

GH is the x factor for Boston.  I would not have said this a few months ago but he is finally back to being the GH that balled out in Utah.  His handle will allow him to run the offense.  He rebounds and his defense is underated.  He can create his own shot off the dribble and knock down open looks from deep.  He can get to the line and knock down free throws.

A healthy GH is our #2 option and can also carry the offense when Kyrie is on the bench.

Missing Marcus is just awful.  The team has to close ranks and win with what they have.

Tatum Brown and Rozier need to play solid basketball at both ends.  Both AH and AB work well together as a 4/5 combinations.  Morris needs to stay with the program and Theis and Semi can step in and help anyway they can.

Even without Smart there is still enough depth all around to get the job done.

Get past Indy and the chemistry should be even better.

Make it to the ECF and Smart will be back.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2019/04/16/don-expect-early-comeback-marcus-smart/bQiSPBcUFbm1vFgT2gmjtL/story.html

Tough situation.

I still think we see him in MIL if/once we get passed IND. He will do everything he possibly can to get back for that series. If he's not there, we don't advance. It's that simple.

db

dbrown4 wrote:I still think we see him in MIL if/once we get passed IND.  He will do everything he possibly can to get back for that series.  If he's not there, we don't advance.  It's that simple.  

db

No chance for the Milwaukee series (if we get there). His injury has a 4 to 6 week recovery period. He's not superman. He's human.

Although if we use last year's blueprint, sans Hayward and Kyrie, "replacing" Marcus and going above and beyond like Rozier and Brown did lasts year is not out the realm of possibility like dboss says.

Brad can implement his underdog mentality yet again!

db

Tough injury to come back from quickly.

I'm not a doctor, don't play one on TV either. Worcester handles the educated medical opinions here.

That being said, and having played various sports with more than my share of injuries, and doing so at much less demanding levels than the NBA, I wouldn't expect Smart back until next season.