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3 takeaways: Boston Celtics roar past Toronto Raptors

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 12: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on December 12, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The 76ers defeat the Celtics 115-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 12: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on December 12, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The 76ers defeat the Celtics 115-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics Gordon Hayward (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics Gordon Hayward (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Hayward battles through injury frustration

Gordon Hayward was slotted to return to the court on Christmas Day and he did play, but his return was not due to the hand injury he suffered, but of a nagging foot injury.

The frustration prior to Wednesday’s game against the Toronto Raptors was that Hayward actually came back quicker than projected from the fractured hand but has been dealing with nagging foot pain that hasn’t been getting better with rest.

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A concern?  Most definitely.

Although no structural damage has been found, sometimes the worst issues a player can deal with is when that issue is unknown and therefore becomes hard to treat.

Now, Gordon Hayward was back on the court to help his team to a 118-102 win over the Raptors but expressed a lot of that frustration prior to suiting up on Christmas Day.

"“I was super frustrated,” Hayward said, via Masslive.com.  “I broke my hand and this was a different issue that, when I wasn’t playing, you would think I could figure it out.  My hand was broke.  The fact that (the foot) was getting worse was frustrating everybody.  We were calling around the country trying to figure it out.  Hopefully we did.”"

On the court, Hayward played well and looked like the player he was prior to the hand injury and foot ailment.  He scored 14 points in 26 minutes with 5 rebounds and 6 assists.  More importantly, he was efficient from the field shooting 6-for-9 from the field.

Let’s hope the foot injury doesn’t become something that continues to hold him back as the season moves forward.

If it does, it looks like the Boston Celtics will be doing a lot of load management when it comes to Gordon Hayward.

With the play of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, they certainly can afford to do so.

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