22 January 2023 , 00:53
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Boston Celtics superstar Marcus Smart had to be helped off the court at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night, after falling awkwardly just seconds before half-time.
The NBA Defensive Player of the Year for 2022 fell when quickly changing direction following a pass from Al Horford, as he looked to drive the net with just 12 seconds remaining in the half. The Celtics were down 57-49 to the Toronto Raptors, but their problems got a lot worse as Smart went down.
And Smart stayed down with a towel over his head, as he appeared to be in an immense amount of pain. Smart then checked out of the game, but needed assistance from two members of the medical staff to get off the court.
The Celtics were already without Jayson Tatum for Saturday's clash against the Raptors, and Smart then joined Robert Williams III in the treatment room. Smart twisted his right ankle and screamed out in pain, while his knee was also examined.
There was minimal contact from Raptors defenders, which has only led to more concern as the injury was caused by Smart buckling on his own. And his inability to put weight on his leg is a worrying sign, and the Celtics will be sweating over an official diagnosis.
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Main man Tatum missed Saturday's game with a sore wrist, but now their stars are dropping like flies, and the extent of Smart's injury remains unknown. The Celtics look like one of the favourites to win the NBA Championship this season, but Smart's injury could be a major turning point if he spends a lengthy period on the sidelines.
The Celtics are leading the Eastern Conference with a record of 35-12, winning the most games across the entire NBA so far this season. And the runners-up from last year are determined to go all the way this time around, as they've been without a title since 2008.
They were defeated by Golden State Warriors in the finals last season, but they look to have improved even further since then. Tatum, Smart and Jaylen Brown are all crucial to the Celtics, and they'll need them to all be fit if they are to dominate the play-offs once again.
But they proved on Saturday just how deep their roster is, as they fought back to claim the win after Smart was ruled out. They edged the Raptors 106-104, outscoring them 56-47 in the second half.