Deivon Smiths likely St. Johns return comes at a perfect time

St.John’s is getting back its engine — just in time for the biggest stretch of this joyride of a season. After missing three of the last four games with a bruised right shoulder he injured on Jan.

11, senior point guard Deivon Smith is expected to return Saturday against Providence at the Garden. He has had multiple full practices since receiving a second cortisone shot, and is ready to go. “I’m feeling good.I’m not thinking about it,” the 6-foot Smith said Friday.

“Mentally, that was the last part, just taking hits, getting out there and running.I’m pretty good now.” His mindset is simple: “Just play hard, [use my] motor, let the game come to me — same stuff that you guys had already been seeing.

I hope my shot goes in.I’ve been working on it.” This game kicks off a difficult seven-game stretch that includes one contest against No.

9 Marquette, two with No.25 Connecticut and a second meeting opposite Creighton — the three other top teams in the Big East. St.

John’s (18-3, 9-1) kept on winning even without Smith, entering the matchup with Providence riding a seven-game win streak.It is off to its best start through 21 games since the 1985-86 campaign and has its highest national ranking, at No.

15, in a decade.But getting Smith back should only help the Johnnies.

Without him, they had to rally from big deficits at home against Xavier and Georgetown, and the offense fell from 49th in efficiency to 65th. “It was a different type of team,” coach Rick Pitino said.“The pace wasn’t as fast.

He gives us more pace.We had great size, we could switch all five positions.

That’s a good thing.” Smith makes St.John’s transition game go, is the team’s best 3-point shooter at 39.2 percent and is a strong defensive rebounder despite his size.

The dynamic lead guard is averaging 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals, and St.John’s has outscored the opposition by 178 points with Smith on the floor acros...