Marcus Smart. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Celtics will host the Thunder tonight at 8 p.m. Tuesday night but, of course, without injured guard Marcus Smart.
The feisty defender tore a ligament in his right thumb against the Pacers just over a week ago, and last Friday's surgery will cost him the rest of the regular season.
"The hand's doing well," he said. "The surgery was a success. The doctors said about 6-8 weeks, so we're just kind of going and taking it day-by-day. There's really no timetable for me, I'm not trying to rush anything--as bad as I want to be out there, I know my teammates are going to go out there and play as hard as they can, and I know they're awaiting my return, whenever that is."
Injuries Will Limit Celtics Again Against Surging Thunder
The C's are basically treading water while trying to give their top players a chance to recover.
Smart spoke to the media last night at his charity bowling event and said he's confident he'll return for the playoffs, but admitted it's hard sitting out, unable to provide a helping hand.
"It's brutal, especially when you feel like you can get out there and you know you can help the team in ways and you're sidelined, there's nothing you can do," he said.
So how does Smart stay in shape? Cardio.
"All lower body, nothing really upper body, I can't really lift anything right now," he said. "But that's still okay, there's still a way to kind of stay in the groove of things instead of getting out of shape--because it's easy to get out of shape, it's hard to get back in."
The C's are 9-and-7 without Smart this year.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports