Field Level Media
18 May 2022, 03:55 GMT+10
Point guard Marcus Smart remains questionable hours before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals and the Boston Celtics expect the decision on his availability just before tipoff in Miami on Tuesday night.
The Heat are relatively healthy but are again without point guard Kyle Lowry because of a hamstring injury.
Smart, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, continues to experience soreness in his right foot.
"The swelling is there, the soreness is there," Celtics coach Ime Udoka said after Tuesday's shootaround. "We'll monitor him, how he reacts to treatment today. Long day, he has an extra hour (before tipoff) or two. He tested it out a little bit here. We'll see how it goes. It's very sore. Legitimately questionable."
An MRI exam on Monday detected a right midfoot sprain. Smart was injured Sunday in the Celtics' Game 7 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
"He took a pretty bad fall, got bent up," Udoka said. "It's pretty tender and sore right now. We'll get him round-the-clock treatment."
Smart is averaging 15.0 points and 6.2 assists per game in 10 postseason games, besting his average of 12.1 points and 5.9 assists during the regular season.
He might be most important in helping the Celtics contain Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler. Butler enters the series as the player with the most playoff experience on the Miami roster (90 games).
Butler said he expected to be a focal point of Boston's defense, but spared any care for the topic of how he'll be defended.
"I really don't care, honestly," he said.
Butler averaged 22 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in two regular-season games against Boston this season.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Tennis Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Tennis Times.
More InformationThe New York Yankees provided Double-A Somerset with a load of talent on Tuesday as a trio of players reported ...
The Tennessee Titans announced a pair of transactions Tuesday -- the official signing of the team's latest first-round draft pick ...
The Detroit Tigers placed left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with an index finger injury, while outfielder ...
The Milwaukee Brewers placed outfielder Jesse Winker on the injured list Tuesday with a cervical strain and recalled infielder Abraham ...
The Baltimore Orioles placed center fielder Cedric Mullins (groin) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday and replaced him on the ...
One day after he was claimed off waivers, catcher Gary Sanchez was activated onto the San Diego Padres' roster in ...
In New Brunswick, the issue of inclusion in schools is most recently in the spotlight due to calls to review ...
atlanta - Former first lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia and remains at home, her family has announced.Carter, 95, remains at ...
Quarterback Deshaun Watson made it crystal clear Tuesday that he'd love for the Cleveland Browns to sign his former teammate ...
New Delhi [India], May 30 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to grant any stay to the residents ...
WASHINGTON - The U.S. on Tuesday imposed sanctions on 17 people and entities based in China and Mexico who it ...
By Jyotsana SinghNew Delhi [India], May 30 (ANI): As cold-blooded murders of similar fashion have unfolded in India's metropolitan cities, ...