Marcus Smart was upgraded from out to day-to-day on Tuesday's injury report with a left forearm injury. The Houston Rockets guard now has a chance to play Wednesday at Milwaukee, and the report lists Oct. 28 as his expected return.
What happened
Marcus Smart was listed as day-to-day on the injury report Tuesday at 1:37 a.m. ET. He had been listed as out. The injury is to his left forearm. The report's comment says Smart (arm) is out for Monday's game against the Hawks. His status has gone back and forth since Saturday, Oct. 24. He was listed as day-to-day and then out that same day. He was day-to-day again on Sunday, out on Monday and is now day-to-day once more. The injury report lists Oct. 28 as his expected return.
What it means for the Rockets
Houston's next game is Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Milwaukee, 8:00 p.m. ET. The Rockets are 4-0, hold the first seed and have won four straight. Smart has played two games, averaging 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 23.9 minutes. Houston is 2-0 with him and 2-0 without him. In the games he missed, Fred VanVleet played 30.0 minutes a night, Reed Sheppard 23.5 and Bogdan Bogdanovic 13.8. Amen Thompson logged 34.0 minutes. Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant carried the scoring at 24.5 and 23.5 points. Steven Adams is also out with a right calf injury.
What to watch
The next injury report before the Bucks game will show whether Smart's status changes again. The report lists Oct. 28, the date of the Milwaukee game, as his expected return. His status has changed four times in four days. No decision for Wednesday has been announced, and no timeline beyond Oct. 28 has been announced. Adams remains out with a right calf injury.
Is Marcus Smart playing at the Bucks on Wednesday, Oct. 28?
He is listed as day-to-day with a left forearm injury. No final decision for the 8:00 p.m. ET game at Milwaukee has been announced.
When will Marcus Smart be back?
The injury report lists Oct. 28 as his expected return. That is the date of Houston's game at Milwaukee. No other timeline has been announced.