Marcus Smart. (Harry How/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Marcus Smart's injury-ravaged Celtics have lost three of four entering Tuesday night's game against a Thunder group that's won its last six.
"We took a big hit, we lost a couple of guys, but, you know, those guys will fight," Smart said. "They're still out there figuring out how to do it. Nobody said it was going to be easy. Those guys knew it was going to be hard. We're all professionals and that's what we're here for. We're a team, and those guys work their tails off every day. They're going to get it together."
Marcus Smart Confident He'll Return To Celtics This Season
Celtics will host the Thunder Tuesday night but, of course, without injured guard Marcus Smart.
Meanwhile, reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook's posted five straight triple-doubles and averaged 25 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds. He's up to 23 triple-doubles on the year so, yeah, he's good--and that's not even acknowledging he has All-Stars Paul George and Carmelo Anthony by his side.
Even worse for the Green: Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown will miss another game with their injuries, and obviously Smart won't return before the playoffs, if then, after thumb surgery.
The C's are down to their last dozen games in the regular season, and they're basically treading water while trying to give their top players a chance to recover.
Boston's currently five games back of Toronto for the East lead and six games ahead of third-place Cleveland.
Tip-off is at the Garden at 8 p.m.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports