Marcus Smart might be targeting a return to the Celtics for the NBA Playoffs, but you couldn’t blame the guard for basketball not being entirely on his mind.

Currently rehabbing from thumb surgery last month, Smart told reporters Tuesday that his family had received some unfortunate news. The Celtics guard’s mother had been recently diagnosed with cancer.

Smart’s mother actually received the diagnosis in mid-January around when the Celtics played the 76ers in London, but decided against telling her son so he could focus on playing basketball, according to Scott Souza of the Providence Journal. She has also reportedly dealt with major health problems before, undergoing a quadruple bypass surgery three years ago during Smart’s rookie year.

In the midst of all this, Smart has been trying to rehab his thumb in time for a possible Game 7 of the Celtics’ first-round series on April 28 against the Bucks or Game 1 of a second-round series. The Celtics currently lead Milwaukee 1-0 in the series.

Smart injured the thumb diving for a loose ball against the Pacers on March 11 and underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament on March 16. A month later, Smart was sighted shooting on the Celtics’ floor Sunday and seems nearly ready to return.

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