While injuries are never lucky, news that Boston Celtics veteran guard Marcus Smart has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 calf sprain shared by The Athletic’s Shams Charania is indisputably a lucky outcome compared to some of the more nightmarish scenarios Celtics fans and the wider NBA community worried might be in play for the Flower Mound native.
Injured in the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s 96 – 95 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Smart went down clutching his left calf, writhing in agony and unable to put weight on it after being helped up and walked to the locker room. Initially diagnosed as a calf strain, smart was to receive an MRI the following day to confirm, and the most positive outcome seems to be the situation for the Texan.
Positive news for the Celtics: First-team All-Defensive guard Marcus Smart has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left calf strain, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. He will miss some time, but sigh of relief for all.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 31, 2021
While no timetable has been released for Smart’s recovery, calf injuries are an often-tricky issue, with recovery times ranging from a few weeks to considerably longer, depending on the severity of the injury.
From the sounds of things, it will more likely be on the shorter end of the range of outcomes; we’ll update with any news related to the duration of the Celtic guard’s expected absence.
