The Boston Celtics are rolling and so was Gordon Hayward before a broken hand during Saturday night’s win over San Antonio fractured the star’s rise back to stardom.
Maybe Gordon Hayward is just unlucky now that he wears a Boston Celtics uniform. Or perhaps it’s another one of those things that will put the team in a better position towards the end of the season and into the playoffs.
Whatever the case, the Celtics have to move forward after Hayward suffered another injury that should put him out for some time.
Though not as devastating as the traumatic lower leg injury has kept him out the entire 2018-18 NBA season, the broken left hand suffered by the star wing in the first half of the team’s 135-115 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, was still a damper.
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Up until that point, not only was Gordon Hayward playing great basketball, he was looking like the All-Star level player the Boston Celtics paid big bucks for.
While there is no exact timeline on his return, he shouldn’t miss the rest of the season and how quickly he recovers will depend on whether he decides to have surgery or not.
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens was asked about Hayward’s injury following the game.
"“Broken hand, no timeline, going to get with the doctors tomorrow and decide if he needs to do surgery or not,” Stevens told reporters, as transcribed by NESN. “Sounds like should he decide (to get surgery), the surgery option might actually be a better timeline. So we’ll see what that all plays out to be, who knows. It’s too bad.”"
Stevens went on to estimate that Gordon Hayward will probably miss a few weeks or a month give or take.
In the meantime, the Boston Celtics will have to find a way to replace the 20.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game Hayward was averaging through the first seven games of the season.
No one player will replace those numbers, but here are three players who will get more of an opportunity in the absence of Gordon Hayward.
Javonte Green
The most electrifying player in the Summer League earn some more minutes off the bench for the Boston Celtics in the absence of Gordon Hayward.
While Tacko Fall and Carsen Edwards were the talk of the summer, Green was a find of a player who pretty much slipped under the radar until he lit things up for the team in his first preseason game.
So, far this season, he hasn’t gotten many minutes off the bench, but that should change not that Hayward is unavailable. Averaging just 5.8 points per game, Javonte Green does have the ability to score the ball. Per 36 minutes played, he was averaging 18.5 points after 6 games played, which is close to Gordon Hayward’s numbers.
Fans shouldn’t expect that kind of production, but he is a wing player who can give the team some minutes and provide some athleticism as well. Take a look at this high-flying play during Saturday night’s 135-115 win over the San Antonio Spurs:
And there's still 9 minutes left... #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 10, 2019
Javonte Green finished the game with 6 points in 13 minutes played and will certainly see more minutes on the court going forward.
Romeo Langford
Everyone forgets about Boston Celtics top 2019 draft pick Romeo Langford.
Not only has he not been on the court much for the team, he has also been a quiet player since being selected with the No. 14 pick overall.
With that being said, the product of Indiana has the skillset to be an affective player for the Celtics and should get more of an opportunity with Gordon Hayward’s injury. During his G League debut with the Main Red Claws Saturday night, Langford scored 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting.
Not only did he show off his scoring ability, Romeo Langford showed what kind of defender he can be with six blocks and 5 rebounds.
Yes, it was a G League game, but getting the reps should help Langford earn more minutes from Brad Stevens as the season moves forward. As a lottery pick, it would be nice to see Langford eventually evolve into the rotation.
He is a player who may benefit the most from Hayward’s absence.
Grant Williams
Should Brad Stevens select to rely even more on Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown at the wing position, a player like Grant Williams will get even more time on the court.
Although bigger than both Javonte Green and Romeo Langford, the Tennessee product provides the type of versatility Stevens loves both offensively and defensively.
As the team’s other first-round pick, Williams has given the team energy off the bench and has shown the ability to play the wing, which is a direction the Boston Celtics coach could decide to go in.
At 6-foot-7, 240 pounds, Grant Williams hasn’t done much on the offensive end, although he has shown flashes. His biggest contribution thus far has been his hustle and energy on the defensive end of the court.
Don’t sleep on his offense though. He does have the range to knock down the three-point shot and the power to score down low.
In all, the Boston Celtics should be alright for a while without Gordon Hayward, especially with players like Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart picking up the slack offensively.