-
Tim BontempsESPN
Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Marcus Smart will do an MRI on his left leg on Sunday after the guard was helped off the court after an awkward fall while fighting for a rebound in the fourth period of a 96 loss. -95 for the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night.
Smart, who entered the game with an average of 13.2 points and 6.0 assists – both career highlights – did not seem to fall on anyone’s feet when he fell in front of the Boston bench with 10 minutes, 31 seconds remaining in the fourth period. But after a moment, Smart grabbed the back of his left leg and fell to the floor, writhing in pain.
After Boston asked for the time limit, Smart stayed just before he was helped off the court and immediately back into the Boston locker room by two people from the Boston team. He did not put any weight on his left leg while being helped.
“Yes, everyone was concerned about their health,” said Celtics star Jaylen Brown after the game. “And he just, trying to do our best to redirect that energy, because when a guy falls, we have to take a step up.
“Marcus is essential to our team, man – he’s been great. Whether the numbers show or not, Marcus has been a leader on this team; he’s been someone who’s been looking to get the ball in the right places, including me. So, having him fall in the middle of the game like that, definitely worried everyone. Hopefully, the MRI is negative and we caught him and we can get some wins on the road.
Smart has been the glue that holds the Celtics together, a strong presence on and off the court, as well as being one of the best and most versatile defensive players in the league. Throughout the first month of the season, he took on a greater role of playwright than in previous years because of the absences of Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum at the beginning of the season.
Boston, which has lost two consecutive games, sets out on Monday for a five-game trip to the West Coast, starting on Tuesday in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors.