Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum injured during Boston Celtics defeat to Orlando Magic
Monday 8 April 2019 10:38, UK
The Boston Celtics' playoff preparations were disrupted as Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum both suffered injuries during Sunday night's defeat to the Orlando Magic.
The duo were both forced to exit the game early, with Smart suffering what appeared to be a side-injury and Tatum re-aggravating a shin contusion.
Despite the loss, a loss for the fifth-placed Indiana Pacers meant the Celtics secured home advantage in the first round of the playoffs, which begin on Saturday.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens confirmed neither Smart nor Tatum are likely to feature in their season finale against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, but the bigger concern for Boston will be the duo's condition for the postseason.
"The point of tonight was to try to -- because we won't play [a playoff game] 'til Saturday, maybe Sunday - was to get a true game for some of our starters and our top seven or eight guys," Stevens said. "But those guys will play a lot less on Tuesday, if at all."
Smart fell to the ground after colliding with Magic center Nikola Vucevic midway through the third quarter. He attempted to return to the game but only survived one more possession before heading to the locker room.
"He [Smart] felt like it was spasming on that second trip down the court," Stevens said.
"We'll see what that looks like tomorrow.
"He was a little sore but was walking around, which was good, in the locker room."
Tatum did not make it beyond the first quarter, after a shin issue both he and Stevens thought was under control proved problematic.
"It was never told to me as it was something that would keep him from playing," Stevens said.
"He did the whole shootaround this morning, he got warmed up, he did his whole workout, and he felt great.
"[But] for whatever reason, when he jumped in the first quarter, he felt it."
