Finding a modicum of consistency will be key for the Boston Celtics in 2019-20 and a rejuvenated Gordon Hayward should provide exactly that.
In many ways, the Boston Celtics will be approaching the 2019-20 NBA season with a clean slate. Some players are have left, some are ready to take the next step, and others, like Gordon Hayward, are hoping for a return to All-Star form.
Back in the summer of 2017, all eyes were on the Celtics. Dreams of multiple NBA titles were forged as Boston coupled Al Horford and a collection of young talent with free agent acquisitions Kyrie Irving and Hayward.
That all seemed like a lifetime ago.
Horford and Irving have both moved on in hopes for greener pastures on new teams.
This leaves Hayward as the veteran to lead the pack in 2019 as he continues on the road back from the serious injury he suffered at the start of 2017.
Hayward’s 2018-19 was one of growing pains; slow steps in the cautious rebuilding of bringing him back to full speed. There were certain expected frustrations, as anyone expecting him to look like he did back as a member of the Utah Jazz held misplaced hope.
Still, even as Hayward was sometimes given an undefined role and he dealt with struggles, there were flashes of his old style of play. The numbers dropped off, averaging only 11.5 points in just under 26 minutes per game. Rebounds were slightly down and he struggled with his three-point shot, connecting on only 33.3 percent.
Hayward finished strong, however, and did end up shooting 46.6 percent from the field on the season, including 55.1 percent in 19 games after the All-Star break.
With Hayward fully healed, here are three keys to success for Hayward in the 2019-20 NBA season.
Establishing a role
In bringing Gordon Hayward back from his injury, head coach Brad Stevens often switched up Hayward’s role between bench and starter. Much of this was due to minutes and health allocation while injuries to other starters dictated where Hayward played.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
The upcoming season should see Hayward with a cemented role, unless a massive drop-off in production occurs.
Hayward continued to improve as last season progressed. The last four games of the regular season saw Hayward average 18.3 points per game. He scored in double figures in each of the last eight games, only once shooting under 50 percent from the field.
Now entering his 10th season, Hayward’s role will also be that of grizzled veteran. Nurturing the growth of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will be expected of Hayward. He’s been around the league for awhile now and his wealth of knowledge on-and-off the court will also be valuable to newcomers like Carsen Edwards, Romeo Langford, and Grant Williams.
Questions still remains as to if Hayward will be a starter or coming off the bench. The Celtics can choose to go small, with Kemba Walker, Brown, Tatum, and Hayward all in the starting lineup. Or he can be used as a scorer off the bench. In-season adjustments will of course be made, but if Hayward falls into an established well early — and it’s stuck to — then the chances of success for the Boston Celtics will rise tenfold.
Scoring
Before the gruesome injury that ended Hayward’s 2017-18 season after not even a full quarter, his scoring had been on the rise in previous seasons.
Hayward averaged 19 points or more starting in 2014. This topped off at 21.9 during his last season in Utah.
Even if he were slotted as a starter, it’s hard to imagine Hayward topping that mark overall. He did put up 30 or more points three times last season, including a season-high 35 in January against Minnesota.
But expecting 22 points a game from Hayward might be a stretch.
For the Celtics to find success in 2019-20, the high end of hopes could see Hayward averaging 18-20 points per game. If he’s doing that, especially if given the role of first player off the bench, Boston will be more than a threat to win the East.
A truer hope will be that of Hayward putting up 16-18 points per game, which can be attained, especially if he shoots around 50 percent from the field. Walker will likely score over 20 per game. And if Brown and Tatum continue to improve, they could each push 20 points as well, taking some of the pressure off of Hayward.
Meaning Hayward can put some of that energy into his game on the defensive end.
A force on defense
Is being a force on defense asking too much of Hayward?
He’s always been a consistent defender, but there were certainly lapses in his return from injury last season. Understandable, considering the nature of explosive play in the NBA.
Hayward is likely not going to go out and win any defensive awards. But he’s always had heightened awareness and done a decent job on that side of the court. Getting back to the level of play he had in 2016-17, where he was in the top-20 in defensive shares, will get a lot of mileage for the Celtics.
Enes Kanter will handle duties in the middle and Marcus Smart will lock down the perimeter, but Hayward has a chance to step into the floor general role vacated by Horford. Hayward averaged over one steal per game in the three seasons leading to his free agency. He was very close to that last season, averaging just under one per game.
A more steady presence on the defensive end will hopefully get his rebounding back up. He averaged 4.5, down from 5.4 in his last full season.
Hayward can be a force on the defensive end. It may not show up in the stats, but if he helps Boston get back to the high-quality defense previously established under Steven, 2019-20 will be a successful season.