{"id":33078,"date":"2022-06-02T03:08:02","date_gmt":"2022-06-02T03:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/celtics-guard-marcus-smart-thankful-to-be-able-to-play-let-alone-still-walk\/"},"modified":"2022-06-02T03:08:02","modified_gmt":"2022-06-02T03:08:02","slug":"celtics-guard-marcus-smart-thankful-to-be-able-to-play-let-alone-still-walk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/celtics-guard-marcus-smart-thankful-to-be-able-to-play-let-alone-still-walk\/","title":{"rendered":"Celtics guard Marcus Smart ‘thankful to be able to play, let alone still walk’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Golden State Warriors could be as close to whole for Game 1 of the NBA Finals as they’ve been in months. The Boston Celtics’ two best defenders are still hurting, but there is little reason to expect they’ll miss the series opener Thursday in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Gary Payton II (elbow fracture), Otto Porter Jr. (foot soreness) and Andre Iguodala (neck) would all be \u201cquestionable\u201d to play against the Celtics. For Boston, Robert Williams III (knee) is questionable. Coach Ime Udoka said Marcus Smart (sprained ankle) would be questionable too, but he was not listed on the Celtics’ injury report Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n

Each of the Warriors ‘injured players participated in the Warriors’ brief, full-contact scrimmage at Chase Center on Wednesday – a positive step considering none were on the court when they closed out the Western finals against Dallas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ll see how they turn up tomorrow, but it was a good sign that they were able to take contact,\u201d Kerr said.<\/p>\n

Payton II cracked his left elbow after a flagrant foul from Dillon Books in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals. He is averaging 6.1 points and started two games in the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cStill got a couple boxes to check off,\u201d Payton said. \u201cStill not quite there yet. But excited. Getting better every day so. ” He said he needed \u201ca couple green lights\u201d from various people inside the Warriors’ organization – presumably team medical personnel.<\/p>\n

Porter is averaging 5.5 points off the bench this postseason, but missed the Warriors’ last two games in the Western finals due to a sore left foot. He also missed a game earlier in the playoffs with soreness on the other foot.<\/p>\n

Iguodala, the 2015 Finals MVP, hasn’t been on the court since Game 4 of the first round with a disc injury in his neck. Warriors center James Wiseman remains out for the season due to complications from knee surgery.<\/p>\n

Smart, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, is averaging 15.5 points, 6.2 assists and 4.5 rebounds in the postseason. He missed two games in the conference finals – one because of a sprained foot suffered in Game 7 of the second round, the other because Kyle Lowry fell on him after he’d already rolled his ankle in Game 3.<\/p>\n

Smart scored 24 points with nine rebounds and nine assists in the Game 7 win over the Heat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ankle was a pretty serious injury,\u201d Smart said. “I’m thankful to be able to play, let alone still walk.”<\/p>\n

Williams is experiencing swelling in his surgically repaired knee and the Celtics expect him to deal with it for the rest of the season. He managed just 15 minutes against the Heat in Game 7 and has missed half of Boston’s 18 playoff games because of the swelling. He unlocks the next level of Boston’s defense by pairing with Al Horford, giving Boston two switchable bigs who can defend the rim.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week Udoka said both players were feeling better from where they were as late as Sunday’s finale in Miami.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s manageable,\u201d Williams said Wednesday. “Kind of been getting in a routine the past couple games, what I have to go through to have myself ready to play. \u2026 Obviously, the couple days between these series helped, too. “<\/p>\n

(Photo: Jim Davis \/ The Boston Globe via Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n