Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward is doubtful for tomorrow's game against the Denver Nuggets after entering concussion protocol, according to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston:
Celtics list Gordon Hayward as doubtful vs Nuggets and say he’s entered concussion protocol.
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) March 17, 2019
Hayward sustained the injury after getting blindsided by a John Collins screen in a win over the Hawks yesterday.
The 28-year-old from Butler was one of the marquee free agent signings in the summer of 2017, but he has suffered a mostly maligned tenure with the Celtics thus far. Hayward broke his leg in the first game of the 2017-18 season against the Cavaliers and would not return to the floor. Although he has been mostly healthy this season, he has struggled to recapture the form that made him an All-Star with the Utah Jazz.
In 64 games, Hayward is averaging 10.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists on just 25.4 minutes per night, and has only made 17 starts for Brad Stevens. With so much of Boston's offense running through Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum, Hayward is averaging under nine shot attempts per game after taking close to 16 shots per contest in his lone All-Star campaign with the Jazz.
Perhaps Stevens should look to give Hayward more freedom in Boston's offense. The Celtics are 10-2 when Hayward scores at least 18 points, and his 30-point outing against the Golden State Warriors on March 5 was the highlight of a night where the Celtics crushed the defending champs by 33 points.
Most of Hayward's advanced metrics have not changed. He has practically an identical defensive rating compared to his time in Utah, and his effective field-goal percentage is actually higher this year than nearly every season with the Jazz.
The Celtics will hope Hayward can make a quick recovery, as he is still a vital piece to the playoff puzzle.
Follow Us
Subscribe