clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Marcus Smart leaves Game 1 with multiple injuries, returns after halftime

The Celtics point guard came back and was the only rotational player with a postive plus-minus.

2022 NBA Playoffs - Milwaukee Bucks v Boston Celtics Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

With a minute to go in the first half of Game 1 against the Bucks, Marcus Smart drove to the basket when Jevon Carter took a hard swipe at the ball. Carter caught Smart’s right arm, Smart briefly crumpled to the floor

Arm loosely dangling, Smart immediately went to the locker room with an apparent dislocated shoulder. The Celtics officially listed him with a right shoulder stinger (and right quad contusion) and he returned to the game after halftime. Marcus shot 1-for-5 from the floor in the second half and finished the game with just 10 points, 6 assists, and 3 turnovers.

Smart favored his shoulder all afternoon but despite the 101-89 defeat to the defending champs in Game 1 and some bumps and bruises from a physical playoff game, head coach Ime Udoka assured the Boston faithful that the Celtics’ starting point guard would continue to gut it out.

“He took a few hits. He took two in the first half and I think the quad bothered him more than the shoulder, but he’s going to play through a lot. It affected him offensively, getting downhill and driving a little bit, but defensively as well. He likes to climb up into guys and be more physical,” Udoka said of the Defensive Player of the Year.

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Celtics Blog Daily Roundup newsletter!

A daily roundup of Boston Celtics news from Celtics Blog