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Celtics Injury Updates: Status Of Smart, Johnson Unknown For Friday

BOSTON (CBS) -- Brad Stevens' job of juggling the Celtics' roster isn't an easy one, and a pair of injuries could make that task even more difficult.

It's unclear if the Celtics will have guard Marcus Smart and forward Amir Johnson Friday night when they host the Washington Wizards. Neither player practiced Thursday.

Smart was sidelined for Wednesday night's loss to the Indiana Pacers with a mysterious toe injury. The team is calling it a sprained big toe, though Smart isn't sure when the injury occurred. He woke up Wednesday morning in Indiana in a lot of pain, but X-rays on the toe came back negative.

"If I'm ready to go Friday, I'm going to go," Smart told reporters Wednesday, according to Mass Live's Jay King. "If not, it's early in the season, we are not going to try to force anything."

The same is true for forward Amir Johnson, who twisted his ankle Wednesday against the Pacers. Stevens said Thursday that Johnson is considered day-to-day and has a 50/50 chance at playing on Friday. The injury isn't one the team is very concerned about.

Johnson had a tough 21 minutes on the floor in his first start of the season Wednesday night, scoring just two points from the free throw line while pulling down four rebounds. He had averaged 12 points and 6.3 rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench in Boston's first three games of the season.

While the Celtics, 1-3 on the season, could certainly use both players on Friday, they won't risk anything long-term with either. After Friday night's game they won't play for three days, so giving both players extra time to heal is probably the best route for everyone.

 

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