Celtics' Marcus Smart set to return vs. Pistons

Celtics guard Marcus Smart will return to action on Wednesday in the team’s final game before the All-Star break, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic relays.

Smart sprained his right ankle last month in a Jan. 21 win over Toronto. Shortly after suffering the injury, he said he hoped to be back within a week or two, but he ended up being sidelined for about three-and-a-half weeks, missing 11 Celtics games during that time.

Boston’s roster has been a little banged up as of late, with Jaylen Brown out due to a facial fracture while Jayson Tatum (non-COVID illness) and Al Horford (right knee swelling) missed the first game of a back-to-back set on Tuesday in Milwaukee.

Brown will remain on the shelf until sometime after the All-Star break, but according to Weiss, Tatum and Horford will be available on Wednesday vs. Detroit.

Smart, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, is averaging 11.1 PPG, a career-high 7.2 APG, and 3.4 RPG on .422/.333/.767 shooting in 41 games (32.4 MPG) for the Celtics this season. He hasn’t come off the bench for the club in nearly two years, so he’s a safe bet to be reinserted into the starting lineup in his first game back.