Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward has cleared quarantine ahead of their Game 7 matchup against the Toronto Raptors, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
While Hayward would be a massive help for the Celtics in this do-or-die game, he's still not yet ready for action after recently returning to the bubble. He has not played since leaving the arena on crutches on Aug. 17, after which he was diagnosed with a Grade III ankle sprain that would put him out a month.
While there's still a chance he could feature in a potential Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, there's also the possibility there won't be any more Gordon Hayward for the rest of this season, depending on Friday's Game 7 outcome and his recovery.
A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston noted earlier this week that Hayward is unlikely to be cleared in time to start the conference finals, something that rings natural, considering the extent of his injury.
Hayward could prove a useful cog against the Heat, as he averaged 22.0 points per game on 55.6% shooting in the two outings against Miami this season. Celtics starters have played well this series, but Boston has gotten very little from the second unit in comparison to a deeper Toronto.
Even if Hayward is back sometime next week, there's still a chance he may leave the NBA bubble again, as his wife Robyn is expecting a child later this month. Hayward vowed to leave the bubble before the restart once his wife went into labor.
Follow Us
Subscribe