LAS VEGAS — Celtics guard Marcus Smart dislocated his right index and middle fingers during the second quarter of Boston’s 91-85 summer league win against the Blazers on Thursday night. Celtics assistant coach Micah Shrewsberry said that X-rays were negative and that the results would be sent back to team doctors in Boston for confirmation.
Shrewsberry said one of Smart’s bones may have pierced his skin and that the guard needed five stitches, but he is expected to be fine.
With 6:34 left in the second quarter, Smart, Celtics guard Terry Rozier, and Blazers forward Noah Vonleh converged on a loose ball near Portland’s basket. As Smart fell, he landed awkwardly on his right hand, and his screams were heard clearly throughout the quiet Thomas & Mack Center.
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Smart returned to the bench in the third quarter with his hand wrapped in a towel. He was not available to speak to the media after the game, but when he walked to the team bus, fingers on his right hand were just wrapped in medical tape.
“He’ll be OK,” Shrewsberry said of Smart. “He’s in good spirits in the locker room. He’s got pictures [of the hand] on his phone. He’s joking with the guys, showing it to them, so that’s just kind of like the warrior that he is. He comes right back to the bench and he’s leading the cheers.”
The Celtics trailed, 37-29, at the time of Smart’s injury. But they rallied for the win without him. Rozier, the first-round pick from Louisville, hit two difficult jump-shots in the final minute and scored Boston’s final eight points to lead the Celtics to the win.
Rozier finished with 19 points. Jordan Mickey added 13 points and 11 rebounds. The Celtics will now face the Spurs in Saturday’s quarterfinal round. But they are mostly relieved that their star point guard’s injury does not appear to be more serious.
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“That’s a tough guy, so you know he’ll recover,” Rozier said of Smart. “He’ll get better.”
Headed to Africa
Smart and fellow Celtics guard Evan Turner were selected to play in the NBA’s first game in Africa on Aug. 1, the league announced on Thursday. It was previously announced that Stevens will be an assistant coach in the game. Smart, Turner, and Stevens will be members of Team World, which will face Team Africa, comprised of players born in Africa or second-generation Africans. The game will be played in Johannesburg and televised by ESPN.
Mickey waiting
As of Thursday night, the Celtics and Mickey had yet to come to an agreement on a multiyear contract, and a league source said there is a possibility the second-round pick will ultimately sign a one-year tender offer. The nonguaranteed deal would make Mickey a restricted free agent after his rookie season.
“Of course any player wants to get it figured out,” Mickey said. “I’m just being patient with it and waiting to see what happens.”