The Boston Celtics are about to receive some much-needed assistance on the defensive end, and not a moment too soon.
Guard Marcus Smart will return to action Friday night against the Detroit Pistons on a minutes restriction after missing the last 11 games with a self-inflicted hand injury.
The 23-year-old has been sidelined since Jan. 24 as a result of punching a glass frame in a Los Angeles hotel following a one-point loss to the Lakers the night prior.
In the 11 games he's been absent, Boston has allowed 105.2 points per 100 possessions on defense (eighth overall during that span), which is a noticeable drop from the 100.9 points the team is giving up on the season.
This includes a 22-point loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 11 in which their opponent dropped 121 points and shot 53.6 percent from the field.
Smart is averaging 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals in 30.3 minutes per game across 46 appearances for Boston.
The intangibles he brings on defense are a huge reason why he maintains his role, as his shooting percentages (35.7 percent from the field, 29.9 percent from behind the arc, and 73.6 percent from the free-throw line) remain problematic in his fourth season with the organization.