Inside The Celtics

The Latest on Marcus Smart's Status; Another Celtics Starter May Miss Saturday's Game vs. Lakers

Celtics may be without two starters, plus the latest on Lakers' stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis ahead of rivalry matchup.

Bobby Krivitsky

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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With less than ten seconds left in the first half of the Celtics' 106-104 win over the Raptors, Marcus Smart suffered a right ankle sprain in a non-contact situation. It's an injury that's kept Boston without its starting point guard for three games -- all losses -- and counting.

"I don’t want to go out there and just rush back," expressed Smart ahead of Tuesday's loss to the Heat, "and we’re in this same predicament a couple months from now, a couple days from now, a couple weeks from now when I do come back, and it just stays lingering (longer) than it has to."

Smart said he suffered a bone bruise on the outside of the same ankle when Kyle Lowry fell on it during the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, he's dealing with a bone bruise on the inside of his right ankle.

"I got the bone bruise on the outside, but now I’m dealing with the bone bruise on the inside as well," the Celtics' floor general conveyed. "Some scar tissue that was there; that’s really it. So, we’re just taking it one day at a time."

Smart said he hopes to return in a "week or two."

Along with its starting point guard, who's officially out for Saturday's game against the Lakers, Boston might also find itself without Robert Williams when it hosts its west coast rival.

The Timelord is dealing with a left ankle sprain that has his status in question for the Celtics' attempt to sweep their regular-season series against the purple and gold.

As for Los Angeles, Anthony Davis is probable due to the right foot stress injury he returned from in the Lakers' win against the Spurs on Wednesday.

Lebron James is questionable due to left ankle soreness. Lonnie Walker IV has the same status as a result of left knee tendinitis.

Austin Reaves is out due to a left hamstring strain.

Inside The Celtics will have status updates within this article when that information becomes available.

Saturday's Celtics-Lakers game tips off at 8:30 pm EST; Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and afterward. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Update: Robert Williams is out for tonight's matchup, per the Celtics.

During his pregame media availability, Joe Mazzulla said Williams tweaked his ankle against the Knicks on Thursday, and it swelled up, leading to his absence tonight.

Mazzulla also shared that Marcus Smart's ankle is "getting better."

Davis, James, and Walker are available for the Lakers.

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Knicks: Boston's Offense Hurts Its Defense in Overtime Defeat

The Top 5 Plays from Thursday's Celtics-Knicks Overtime Thriller

Here's How Celtics Responded to Jaylen Brown's Late Missed Free Throws in Loss vs. Knicks

Jayson Tatum Starting in Fourth All-Star Game Appearance; Jaylen Brown a Virtual Lock to Earn a Reserve Spot

For the Celtics, a Quiet Trade Deadline May Prove the Best

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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