After going through adversity in the past two seasons, Gordon Hayward finally had his best game as a member of the Boston Celtics.
The 29-year-old forward had a magical night in the Celtics’ 119-113 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. Hayward tied his career high with 39 points and set a career-best 17 made field goals.
The one-time All-Star also got himself in the record books, tying a record by the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. Hayward was immaculate on 2-pointers going 16-for-16, which tied The Big Dipper’s feat back on March 19, 1967, per NBA statistician Justin Kubatko.
He also dished out a season high eight dimes and corralled seven rebounds in 34 minutes of action, all while sealing the game with a crucial rebound and a putback.
Gordon Hayward, ladies and gentlemen!
39 POINTS (ties career high)
17 MADE FGs (new career high)
8 ASSISTS (new season high)
7 REBOUNDS
2 TURNOVERS*GAME-SEALING REBOUND AND PUTBACK*
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) November 6, 2019
Hayward has had a rough outing since leaving the Utah Jazz in the summer of 2017. He fractured his tibia and dislocated his left leg less in the Celtics' regular-season opener against the Cavs after taking a scary fall off an attempted alley-oop play. The freak injury forced him to miss the entire 2017-18 season.
He returned to action the following campaign but struggled to regain his All-Star form, averaging just 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 72 games last year.
After working closely with head coach Brad Stevens this offseason, Hayward seems to have recaptured his confidence back, looking like a much different player in Boston’s first six games. He’s averaging 20.3 points on 56.5 shooting from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc, helping the Celtics amass a 5-1 start.
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