Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward is expected to play in Game 3 against the Miami Heat, according to ESPN's NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

Hayward suffered a Grade 3 right ankle sprain in Game 1 of the Celtics' first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. He left the NBA bubble to rehab in Boston, but he has returned and has quarantined, making it very likely that he'll play in Saturday's Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the heat

Hayward's return comes at a perfect time for the Celtics, as they currently trail 0-2 against the Heat. Even if Hayward is on minute restrictions during Game 3, it'll still be huge for the Celtics.

The Heat have played mostly zone defense this series, which has killed the Celtics offensively. During Game 2, the Celtics committed 20 turnovers, which is one of the highest turnover games they've had in the NBA bubble. However, with Hayward's ball-handling and playmaking skills, those turnovers could be reduced significantly.

Nevertheless, this a must-win game for Boston, considering that no team in NBA history has ever come back down from a 3-0 deficit. This series could very much be tied, however, the Celtics have not been able to keep leads in either game.

In Game 1, they were up by as much as 14 points but blew the lead in the fourth quarter. The same thing happened during Game 2, as they were up by as many as 17  points, but blew the lead.

The good news is that the Celtics now have Hayward in the lineup, who could very much use his veteran presence.