Celtics guard Marcus Smart, recovering from a torn oblique muscle, has been cleared for full contract practice and is hopeful of playing in Game 4 vs. the Bucks in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Smart suffered a partial avulsion of his left oblique abdominal muscle off of his iliac crest. The injury occurred at 6:44 in the third quarter of an April 7th game against Orlando , following contact with the Magic’s Nikola Vucevic.
Following an MRI, the Celtics said Smart would be out four-to-six weeks, so Smart’s recovery is on schedule. The Celtics are down 2-1 in the series with the Bucks, with the winner moving to the East finals.
Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdan also is practicing and nearing a return from his foot injury, but he is out for Game 4.
