BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 14: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden on March 14, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Kings 126-120. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics survived a difficult test against the Milwaukee Bucks, eliminating last year’s champions with a 109-81 Game 7 win on Sunday. They now may have to begin the Eastern Conference Finals without Marcus Smart.
On Monday, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka revealed that the Defensive Player of the Year suffered a mid-foot sprain during their Game 7 victory. Smart is questionable for Tuesday’s series-opening matchup against the Miami Heat.
Although Smart converted just two of nine field-goal attempts, he made his presence felt with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists Sunday. The guard averaged 14.0 points during the second-round series.
Losing Smart would sting for the Celtics, but they’ve recently persevered without him. When a right quad contusion took the 28-year-old out of action in Game 2, Boston still ran away with a 109-86 win over Milwaukee behind 30 points from Jaylen Brown and 29 from Jayson Tatum.
Derrick White started in place of Smart, with Payton Pritchard logging 24 minutes off the bench. White has struggled offensively in the postseason, but he’d provide physicality in what’s expected to be a defensive-minded series. Pritchard, meanwhile, came alive with four three-point makes in Game 7.
The Celtics and Heat will commence the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
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