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Brad Stevens told the media Friday before the Celtics’ home matchup with the Indiana Pacers that Marcus Smart’s hand will be reevaluated, and he is expected to return to the court after the NBA All-Star break.
#NEBHInjuryReport: Stevens says Smart (hand) will be re-evaluated tonight but the anticipation is that he will not be available until after the All-Star break.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 9, 2018
Smart has missed the last eight games after suffering lacerations to his right hand for hitting a picture frame in the team’s LA hotel, and will miss a total of 11 games once the Celtics resume play on 2/23 against Detroit.
Boston has gone 6-2 in games without Smart, as Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris have stepped up to fill the void on the bench unit. The Celtics have added Greg Monroe and are expected to be major players in the buyout market, so Smart will likely return to a new-look second unit to lead.
The Celtics and Pacers tip off at 7:30 p.m. EST as Boston looks to build off their momentum from last night’s overtime win over the Washington Wizards.