Some NBA players shy away from legitimate competition during the offseason, instead opting to hone their games via individual basketball workouts and other various methods of training. Why? The risk for injury is magnified during the rigors of five-on-five play, a reality that Marcus Smart now fully understands.
The Boston Celtics’ sophomore guard suffered a pair of dislocated fingers in his team’s Summer League contest on Thursday. Video of the incident is below:
Just in case you’re one of those clueless people bemoaning Smart’s audible cries immediately after the injury, Twitter user Shake4ndbake provided a screenshot of his mangled fingers. The following image, we warn you, is not for the squeamish.
https://twitter.com/Shake4ndBake/status/621879610951626752
Yikes.
Fortunately, the Celtics are reportedly “almost 100 percent sure” that Smart didn’t fracture any bones on his shooting hand. Via A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE:
Additional tests will be performed, but a source close to Smart told CSNNE.com that “he should be okay” and added that initial tests have the Celtics “almost 100 percent sure nothing” is broken.
The 21-year-old averaged 16.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in Las Vegas. Though his shooting labors intensified as play wore on, Smart was nonetheless one of the top performers at Summer League.
Though this scary injury won’t keep him sidelined long, it’s safe to assume Smart will no longer be participating in the inaugural NBA Africa Game early next month. We’ll keep you updated on his progress as information becomes available.
[Via Shake4ndbake, CSNNE]
