Marcus Smart Ruled Out For Game 2 Vs. Bucks
BOSTON (CBS) -- The task of evening their playoff series with the Milwaukee Bucks just got a lot more difficult for the Boston Celtics. Marcus Smart has been ruled out for Tuesday night's Game 2 with a right quad contusion.
Smart, the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, suffered the injury during Sunday's Game 1 defeat. He took a couple of shots to his quad, but did finish the 101-89 loss. Smart scored 10 points while dishing six assists in his 30 minutes despite being in obvious pain late in the game.
Celtics head coach Ime Udoka said that Smart was still dealing with soreness and tightness on Tuesday, and that the injury did not progress as much as everyone had hoped. The Celtics don't believe that Smart's injury is a long-term issue, and are hopeful that he'll be back in the lineup for Saturday's Game 3 in Milwaukee.
Derrick White will start in Smart's place on Tuesday night, and Payton Pritchard will likely have an extended role off the bench. Jayson Tatum could also see a lot more ball-handling responsibilities as the Celtics look to even their series against the Bucks.