Marcus Smart planning to make preseason debut for Memphis Grizzlies on Friday
One preseason game remains for the Memphis Grizzlies, and fans have yet to see newcomer Marcus Smart in action. According to Smart, that should be changing soon.
Smart practiced with the Grizzlies on Tuesday and said he’s planning to play in Friday’s preseason finale against the Milwaukee Bucks and the regular season opener against New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 25.
"I will be playing Friday, that's the plan," Smart said. "God forbid anything crazy happens, I'm on there Friday, and the 25th, I'll be out there."
Smart, who was acquired in the offseason from the Boston Celtics, missed the first four preseason games while nursing an abdominal soreness injury he suffered in practice. Smart said he got tangled up with a player and his body went the wrong way when he suffered the injury.
Smart’s reputation as a defender who hustles and dives for loose balls is well documented. He has won the NBA’s hustle award three times in his 10-year career. He’s the only player to do so in league history.
Sometimes that hustle has played a role in the injuries Smart, 29, has dealt with in his career. When describing the abdominal soreness, he mentioned how he came back from his honeymoon practicing as hard as he did.
“That’s basketball,” Smart said.
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins agrees.
"I want Marcus to be Marcus," Jenkins said. "Never going to change. Whatever the history says and all that stuff, it's part of the sport. ... I don't want him thinking anything otherwise."
Jenkins confirmed that if Smart returns on Friday, he will be inserted into the starting lineup. That will likely move Derrick Rose to the bench and give the Grizzlies their first look at how their potential starting and bench groupings will shape up.
Smart had gotten practice reps with the starters before suffering his abdominal injury, and he’s been watching the preseason closely. The next step is game action.
"I've been doing this going on 10 years now, so for me, I know what it takes to get myself going and how long it takes," Smart said. "I'll be ready."
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Updates on Jake LaRavia, John Konchar
Jake LaRavia and John Konchar have each missed the past two Grizzlies games. Jenkins said after practice that the team was taking precautions with LaRavia who fell on his right wrist in a preseason game against the Bucks. He was seen at practice on Tuesday with tape around his wrist.
Konchar has been dealing with a personal issue, Jenkins said. Both players practiced on Tuesday and should be cleared going forward.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Marcus Smart expected to make Memphis Grizzlies preseason debut
