Boston Celtics small forward Gordon Hayward is aching to play basketball again, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon. Nevertheless, Hayward isn’t completely discounting the idea of him playing this season. THIS season.
It doesn’t take a professional to say that Gordon Hayward will be sidelined for a long time based alone on the grotesque shape of his leg after he landed badly during this season’s season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 17. But what Hayward lacks in games played this season, he seems to make up in optimism.
Via Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe:
“It’s definitely in the back of my mind,” Hayward said. “I’m definitely pushing to get back as fast as I can, while making sure that I still have a lot of good years of basketball in me. And coming back early and hurting something else is not part of that plan. So I’m making sure that if I come back, I’m one-thousand percent confident in myself and my leg. I hope more than anything I can play this season. That would be awesome. But that’s not something I’m stressing about. I’m stressing about what I can do today to help myself get better.”
Gordon has already been ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair his leg injury. His absence has definitely spoiled the excitement of Boston fans, who, prior to this season, were expecting to watch the tandem of Hayward and Kyrie Irving carry the team to at least a Finals appearance. Even without Hayward, however, the Celtics remain a testy contender in the Eastern Conference thanks to Irving, Boston’s defense, and the brilliant coaching of Brad Stevens. So far this season, the Celtics pace the conference with a 22-5 record — four games ahead of everybody else in the East.
While it’s unlikely for Hayward to take the court this season, it’s nice to see and hear him with such a positive outlook.
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