The Boston Celtics have upgraded Gordon Hayward to questionable for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat.
It's possible Hayward plays in the pivotal game for the Celtics, who are down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series to decide who will represent the Eastern Conference in the 2020 NBA Finals.
Celtics upgraded Gordon Hayward (ankle) to "Questionable" for Game 3 vs. Miami on Saturday, an indicator that there's a real chance of his return.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 18, 2020
After the Celtics lost Game 2, Jared Weiss of The Athletic reported that Gordon Hayward is progressing toward a return in Game 3. He's been out since the seeding games after suffering a Grade 3 ankle sprain.
Boston certainly needs Hayward back in the worst way. The team blew a double-digit lead in the second half of Game 2 after playing flawlessly in the first half. Things got very heated for the Celtics after the Game 2 loss, as Marcus Smart started calling players out in the locker room.
Hayward isn't the All-Star player he was with the Utah Jazz. However, he's still a guy who can score 15 to 20 points on any given night, production the Celtics are missing right now against the Heat.
With that being said, all of Boston is praying the former Butler star will make his return in Game 3, otherwise the Celtics are in danger of falling behind 3-0.
During the 2019-20 regular season, Hayward appeared in 52 games. He averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 50.0 percent from the field, 38.3 percent from beyond the arc and 85.5 percent from the free-throw line.
Odds are the Celtics will come out firing in Game 3 since they are down 2-0. However, they played well in the first half of Game 2 before collapsing in the second half, so Boston clearly has some issues it needs to address.
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