Celtics' Smart to miss road trip with lower left leg injury

The Boston Celtics will be without the services of point guard Marcus Smart for their next two games due to a lower left leg injury, the team announced Saturday.

Smart suffered what the team described at the time as a bruised left knee on Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets, and therefore will not travel with the team as they hit the road for games against the Nets, and the Atlanta Hawks.

Boston currently ranks first in defensive efficiency, having allowed just 95 points per 100 possessions, with Smart's tenacious perimeter defense playing a huge part in that early-season success. The Celtics have already beaten both Brooklyn and Atlanta this season, and did so without much production from Smart, who scored just 12 total points in those two games.

The Oklahoma State alumnus is averaging 9.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists through nine games this season.