Marcus Smart hasn't played for the Boston Celtics in three weeks. He missed seven games with what was being deemed an "eye infection" and is set to miss his eighth game on Christmas Day.
Before the Celtics clash with the Toronto Raptors, Smart opened up about the eye infection with some shocking revelations.
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Smart's case of viral conjunctivitis was apparently so bad that he and doctors were worried about the potential of him losing his eyesight, as detailed by Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Thankfully, Smart confirmed that his condition was improving and that blindness was no longer a concern. He indicated that he was at 80 percent and could try to return later in the week. His overall goal is to return before the new year.
And it seems that Smart may be on track to return soon. He did get some shots off on the court ahead of the game, as captured by the Celtics on NBC Sports Boston's Twitter account, so that is a good sign for the squad.
Smart, the longest-tenured Celtic, is in his sixth season with the team and is averaging a career-high 11.8 points, 4.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. He has been an important part of the team's bench and starting rotation when Gordon Hayward was hurt.
Once he returns, he should certainly give the team an energetic spark.
Don't miss NBC Sports Boston's coverage of Celtics-Raptors, which tips off Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. with Celtics Pregame Live, and then Mike and Scal have the call at 12 p.m. You can also stream the game on the MyTeams App.