Marcus Smart Targeting Return from Thumb Surgery After Mother's Cancer Diagnosis

Boston Celtics shooting guard Marcus Smart revealed his mother, Camellia, was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer but that she told him to remain with his team during the NBA playoffs.

"She told me she'd rather I was here than back there, doing what I love to do, because she loves to watch me play, because that would put a smile on her face, if I got back healthy and back on the court," Smart said, per ESPN.com's Chris Forsberg.

Smart added his mother is unlikely to undergo a bone marrow transplant.

"At this point, from what they told me, they're just trying to preserve life right now," he said, per MassLive.com's Tom Westerholm. "You can't fix it. Would have to get a whole transplant and at her age [63] that's tough."

Westerholm reported Smart will travel back home to be with his mother in the near future and will finalize plans when he hears an update from her after she had an appointment with her doctor Tuesday.

Smart remains out while recovering from thumb surgery. He told reporters Sunday he hopes to return for a potential Game 7 against the Milwaukee Bucks if Boston's first-round series gets that deep. If not, he's aiming to be back on the court for the Celtics' second-round series.