The Boston Celtics are in dire need of some good news following another defeat to the Miami Heat on Thursday. Now down 2-0 in the series, Boston needs all the help they can get, and this might just come in the form of a returning Gordon Hayward.
Hayward has been out of action for Boston since mid-August due to an ankle injury, but according to reports, he could be back on the court for Game 3 on Saturday:
Gordon Hayward is progressing toward returning for Game 3 of Celtics-Heat after feeling good in Wednesday’s post-practice workout, a source with knowledge of the situation told @TheAthleticNBA. He expects to get more on-court work Friday with the hope of playing Saturday.
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) September 18, 2020
Hayward was playing some great basketball prior to the injury, averaging 18.7 points (on 48.4 percent shooting), 7.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in seven bubble games for the Celtics. He was able to suit up for Boston's first playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers, but has been out of action since.
The Celtics are in a deep hole right now, falling behind 2-0 in the series against the Heat. The return of Hayward might just be the spark this team need right now, as they seem to have run out of answers for Miami at the moment.
It is necessary to note, however, that Hayward has been out for a month now, and he likely won't be a hundred percent even if he returns for Boston in Game 3. He might even be under some sort of minutes limit, which will likely have an effect on his production. Then again, as mentioned earlier, the Celtics need all the help they can get at this point.
Game 3 is a must-win game for the Celtics. Suffering another defeat will put them 3-0 behind, and surely, there's no coming back from that.
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