You really have to feel for Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward.
Just when it looked like the former All-Star was finally re-discovering his groove, he suffered a neck strain during the Celtics' game against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday and was forced to leave the contest after just one minute of action:
Hayward is OUT for the rest of the game vs the Hawks (strained neck) due to this play (@AAANe_MAnews) #AAANortheast pic.twitter.com/BbNEXXUjn0
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 16, 2019
Hayward had been playing very well of late, averaging 12 points, 3.9 assists and 3.1 rebounds over 24.3 minutes per game while shooting 57.9 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from three-point range during the month of March.
The highlight of his recent impressive stretch of play came in a 33-point win over the Golden State Warriors back on March 5, when the 28-year-old poured in 30 points, seven rebounds and four assists while making 12 of his 16 field-goal attempts and draining four three-pointers.
On the season overall, Hayward is averaging 11 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists across 25.8 minutes a night while connecting on 44.8 percent of his field-goal attempts, 33.5 percent of his long-distance tries and 82.5 percent of his free throws.
Hayward signed a max contract with Boston during the summer of 2017, but just minutes into his regular-season debut with the C's back in October of that ensuing campaign, Hayward suffered a gruesome broken leg, which knocked him out for the season.
When Hayward is right, he is one of the best small forwards in the league, and he showed that during his final year with the Utah Jazz when he posted 21.9 points, 5.4 boards and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field, 39.8 percent from deep and 84.4 percent from the charity stripe en route to his first All-Star appearance.
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