Now, the Celtics should brace themselves for playing without Hayward until the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Boston Celtics run of full health lasted a shade under 45 minutes before Gordon Hayward sustained an ideal ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of Fridays Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers after landing awkwardly on the foot of colleague Daniel Theis.
Dont miss NBC Sports Bostons coverage of Celtics-76ers Game 2, which begins Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. with Celtics Pregame Live followed by tip-off at 6:30 p.m.. You can likewise stream the video game on the MyTeams App.
Losing Hayward strips part of what makes Boston so unique. Few groups have a previous All-Star as a 4th alternative. Less have a Swiss Army knife of a factor who dutifully does whatever he can to highlight the skill around him, all while critics lament the size of his contract compared to his scoring output.
Boston loses its fastest regular on the floor, a player who touches the ball as much as Kemba Walker, and who rebounds at a better rate than a few of the teams bigs.
Langford searched in line for spot minutes in the postseason but will have to play through the discomfort of an injury that should eventually need surgery. Langford has really been through this before, playing much of his lone season at Indiana University with a thumb injury on his shooting hand. It certainly includes a layer of issue to filling Haywards minutes with a traditional wing.
Boston loses one of its long-armed wing defenders who can disrupt entry passes, scramble over with assistance to fluster Joel Embiid, and parlay turnovers into simple scoring chances..
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In the bigger image, its a gut punch for Hayward, who has actually been wrecked by injuries throughout his Boston period.
Boston entered its playoff opener with all 17 of its players available and nobody on a minute restriction, something that basically hadnt occurred considering that opening night against the Sixers in October.
Stevens needs to choose if its finest to raise Smart and possibly alter his replacement pattern with the objective of keeping another starter on the flooring in areas where Hayward would have played, of if he might plug a lesser-used player into that starting function and limitation that gamers burden while keeping up the teams 3 finest scorers.
This may be a simpler decision if rookie Romeo Langford had not torn ligaments in his best hand in the groups seeding-game ending.
The lack of Hayward hinders Boston however needs to not avoid them from advancing past the Sixers. Things get dicier in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a possible matchup looming versus the Raptors. The absence of Hayward feels big enough to possibly tip the balance of that series offered how even those teams tended to be in regular-season play.
The lack of Hayward hinders Boston but should not avoid them from advancing past the Sixers. The lack of Hayward feels big enough to potentially tip the balance of that series given how even those teams tended to be in regular-season play.
Losing Hayward strips part of what makes Boston so distinct. It definitely includes a layer of issue to filling Haywards minutes with a conventional wing.
The green-tinged favorable spin: If the Celtics know one thing, its playing through lacks. Next guy up has been a way of living for Stevens teams. Now theyll need to do it once again on the playoff phase with hopes they can survive enough time for Hayward to get back on the flooring.
Now theyll have to do it again on the playoff phase with hopes they can stay alive long enough for Hayward to get back on the flooring.
The Celtics have the high-end of being able to fill many of Haywards minutes with Marcus Smart. However Stevens has actually typically tried to keep Smart in a reserve function, his presence steadying that 2nd group and providing a jolt of energy as starters come off the floor.
Hayward can decide into the final year of his Boston offer after this season, one that will pay him the last $34 million of his $128 million offer.
The group revealed Tuesday that Hayward is anticipated out four weeks after being identified with a Grade III sprain. Hayward is likewise expected to leave the bubble a long time in September when his wife, Robyn, provides the households 4th child, something that will subject him to a four-day quarantine upon return.
Go through the tape of Game 1 and Haywards impact goes beyond his modest base stat line of 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Boston loses a stable ball-handler who typically quarterbacked the 2nd system and developed open shots for colleagues.
Beyond the ankle injury in his Boston debut, Hayward missed out on extended time previously this season after breaking his hand in a freak accident in San Antonio. He has missed 101 out of a possible 236 regular-season games over the previous 3 seasons.
Stevens can deploy rookie Grant Williams or veteran Semi Ojeleye at the 4, or see how rookie Javonte Green reacts as a more standard wing. Possibly thats sustainable in other words bursts, however it also puts a lot of pressure on core starters like Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown to play larger minutes, all with games set up every other day. It likewise implies those core guys will see a lot more attention when they are on the floor, as defenses will challenge Smart to beat them.
