Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart will miss Monday night’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the visiting Miami Heat due to his sprained right ankle.
Smart sustained the injury in Game 3 and the ankle remained swollen some 48 hours later.
In another note, big man Robert Williams III is set to play after missing Game 3 with his left knee injury.
Miami holds a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Smart had 16 points and seven assists in Game 3 for Boston despite briefly leaving the game in the third quarter due to the ankle injury.
Just 63 seconds into the third quarter, Smart was injured while competing for a rebound with Miami’s Kyle Lowry. Smart’s ankle rolled on the floor and Lowry landed on it. Smart grabbed for the ankle and screamed loudly.
Smart returned to the bench area with 7:01 left in the third quarter and re-entered the contest nine seconds later.
Smart missed Game 1 due to a right foot injury but returned with a flourish in Game 2 with 24 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds and three steals in 40 minutes. Smart also made five 3-pointers and committed just one turnover.
Williams was added to the injury report earlier in the day before Game 3 and ruled out close to tipoff.
Williams played in the first two games of the series after a four-game absence due to issues with his left knee.
Williams contributed 18 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots in 28 minutes in Boston’s Game 1 loss, but had just five points, four rebounds and three blocks in 20 minutes in the Game 2 victory.
–Field Level Media