Smart might return in two weeks

WASHINGTON — Marcus Smart could be ready to play in a little more than two weeks. The question is whether the Celtics still will be playing.

Celts coach Brad Stevens confirmed an ESPN report that the guard is doing well as he comes back from right thumb surgery. Smart saw a specialist in New York on Monday and returned to Boston to continue his rehab.

“I think from everything that I’ve been told, he’ll be re-evaluated middle of next week,” Stevens said. “The April 27 date is the earliest that I’ve heard that he could be back. So we’ll cross our fingers and see.”

For the Celtics, April 27 could be the latter stage of a lengthy first-round playoff series, the start of the second round, or the offseason.

As for getting a read on opponents, the Celts took the floor unsure whether they’d be hosting Miami, Milwaukee or last night’s foe, the Wizards, this weekend.

“I mean, it’s no more of a stress on our staff than the staff we’re playing against,” Stevens said. “So at the end of the day, we’ll work and we’ll be ready to play Saturday or Sunday whenever we play. It’s going to be one of three teams, and we’ll prepare for all three. We’ll have stuff ready for all three, and then when that time comes on Wednesday night, we’ll hone in on one.”

While the Celts will certainly go heavy on the scouting report, Stevens and his staff have enough work to do cobbling together a rotation missing Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Daniel Theis and, for the time being, Smart.

Looking at his actives, Stevens said, “A lot of these guys have played major roles for us all year, and the guys that haven’t can fit into what we’re doing. So we’ll make tweaks that accentuate Jaylen (Brown) and Jayson (Tatum) and Al (Horford) and Marcus Morris and Terry (Rozier) and some of the guys that are playing a ton of minutes for us to do what they do best. But we’ve started the year with stuff for those guys, so ultimately maybe it’s doing it a little bit more, maybe it’s game-to-game adding one or two things that fit what they do best depending on how they’re being guarded, etc.

“But I think the one thing you can’t do is you can’t overhaul it at this time of the year. You’ve spent too much time building habits.”

Yabusele sits out

Guerschon Yabusele was on the trip here, but he didn’t play against the Wizards and won’t when the Celts end their regular season at home against the Nets tonight. The Dancing Bear injured his left knee against Chicago last Friday night and was riding a stationary bike as his mates went through yesterday morning’s session at Georgetown.

“I’m feeling better,” Yabusele said. “The goal is for me to be ready by the beginning of the playoffs. We should be all set for that.”

He’s still not sure about the genesis of the injury.

“Not really,” he said. “I just started feeling it during the game, and the next day it was really sore. We did the MRI just to make sure, and there was nothing wrong with it. I’m OK.”

Of missing playing time in the last few regular-season games, Yabusele said, “I’m a little bit frustrated for that, but I’m just happy it’s nothing worse.”

No family feud

Wizards forward Markieff Morris agrees with twin brother Marcus he’d rather not have the first round be a family affair.

“If it was my choice, I would say no,” Markieff said of the C’s and Wiz meeting this weekend. “But at the end of the day, man, you can’t pick and choose who we want to play, so it is what it is.”

It was jokingly suggested that the tension could be removed if, when one brother drove the lane for the first time, the other delivered a hard foul.

“Hell, no,” Markieff said with a smile. “I ain’t fouling my brother hard. I’ve got to eat dinner with him after that. But no, man, it’s exciting that we’re even in this position to match up in the playoffs, something that we looked forward to our entire lives. It’s exciting for both of us.”

Said Washington coach Scott Brooks of a MorrisMorris playoff matchup, “It’s awkward. There’s no question. It’s awkward. You’re not only brothers, you’re twin brothers. But I’m assuming if it does happen, neither of them is just going to not compete. Just look at what happened the last time we played them (125-124 overtime win for Wizards). Kieff had a great game, and Marcus had, what, 31?”

All eyes on Rozier

When it comes to making up for the absence of injured teammates, no C’s player faces a greater burden than Rozier. He has filled in admirably for Irving, and expect playoff opponents to focus defenses his way.

Rozier already has been seeing a good diet of double-teams, noted Stevens.

“I think you pick your poison when you do those things,” the coach said. “There’s other guys on the court, too. It’s just something that you learn as you go on, but Terry’s done a great job handling it. I’m not worried about Terry. Terry’s a competitor. Terry’s going to be ready.”