Celtics guard Marcus Smart missed 14 games in the first half of last season because of injury and felt his absence cost him a spot in the Rising Stars Challenge. So when the announcement for this year’s game — which is open to first- and second-year players — arrived, Smart was not optimistic.
Yes, he was averaging 9.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists for a team that entered Wednesday night’s game against the Nuggets in fifth in the Eastern Conference. Except he had missed 18 games because of a knee injury. So Smart was pleasantly surprised on Wednesday when he was one of 10 players chosen to play for the US team during All-Star Weekend.
“I figured the same thing was going to happen this year,’’ Smart said. “But it’s a blessing. It’s something you accept, and I thank God for giving me the ability to do it. I’m happy and my teammates have been happy for me. They’ve been congratulating me and everything.’’
On Feb. 12 the US squad, headlined by 2015 No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns, will face a team of international NBA players, led by Knicks rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis. Smart is the lone player on the US team whose NBA team has a winning record.
“It’s another honor,’’ Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “It’s great to be a part of All-Star Weekend. Obviously Kelly [Olynyk] and [Jared Sullinger] have done that in the past. It’s a good sign when your young players are invited to do stuff like that, especially when they’ve only played half the year . . . I think he can play a lot better. He’s getting better as the weeks go on.’’
Olynyk, a native of Canada, was chosen to play for the World team last year but sat out because of injury. Smart’s selection might be just the first slice of All-Star-related good news for the Celtics this week. On Thursday night, the reserves for the All-Star Game will be announced, and guard Isaiah Thomas has emerged as a probable Eastern Conference pick.
Olynyk has expressed interest in being tapped for the 3-point shootout in his hometown of Toronto and the Celtics have begun to promote his candidacy on social media. But as of Wednesday night, Olynyk had not been contacted by the NBA.
Thomas fan
Thomas has continued his ascension this season, averaging career highs of 21.7 points, 6.7 assists, and 3 rebounds. Nuggets coach Mike Malone, who coached Thomas during his final season with the Kings in 2013-14, is not surprised by his strong play.
Malone said that in Sacramento he was careful not to convert Thomas into something he was not.
“I didn’t want him to become John Stockton,’’ Malone said. “He’s never going to be John Stockton. Take him for who he is. But within that I told him you have to be a guy who can run his team, make the right decision with the ball. When you’ve done your job of drawing two defenders, then make the right play.’’
Malone pointed to Thomas’s 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio as evidence that he has developed into much more than a dynamic scorer. Since Malone coaches in the Western Conference, he was unable to vote for Thomas as an Eastern Conference reserve. But on Wednesday night he made his thoughts on Thomas’s candidacy quite clear.
“Love him as a person and as a player,’’ Malone said. “A guy I did not want to lose while I was in Sac, in our second season. He’s got a chip on his shoulder. Last pick in the draft, he has that keep-on-doubting-me attitude.
“He loves being in the gym. He’s a guy you love being around, and that’s why I think he’s worthy of an All-Star reserve spot this year, which I hope he gets.
He’s worked very hard. You look at his numbers and he’s a guy who deserves to be on that team.’’
Jealous side
The Celtics entered Wednesday ranked second in the NBA with a defensive rating of 98.6, trailing only the Spurs. They were also averaging 9.6 steals per game, tied for second in the league. Malone, for one, has taken notice.
“I’m jealous of the defenders they have,’’ he said. “They have a team of grit and toughness.’’
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.
