Boston Celtics star forward Gordon Hayward's own version of trusting the process will come full circle next Tuesday night. Per Jay King of The Athletic, Hayward plans to play in the season opener versus the Philadelphia 76ers.
Gordon Hayward (back) said he plans to play Tuesday. His body felt the best it has all preseason yesterday.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) October 10, 2018
Hayward has been dealing with a back injury this preseason after his return from the devastating leg injury he suffered at the beginning of last season. He said his back got progressively worse after initially injuring it, but a few days of rest really helped.
Gordon Hayward said his back is feeling better. It got progressively worse before he took a couple days off. Said he has discovered the rest of his body has to readjust to playing again.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) October 10, 2018
Celtics fans certainly hope that Tuesday night will not mirror the team's season opener last season. As horrifying as his injury was, Hayward's road to recovery was just as incredible.
Hayward's return will prove to be a good problem for head coach Brad Stevens. Last year, Stevens made full use of a young roster missing the services of Hayward and Kyrie Irving, especially during the team's surprising playoff run. Now that both superstars are healthy, the Celtics are stronger and more difficult to beat.
Many predict Stevens will heavily rely on a small-ball lineup, with Hayward manning one of the forward positions next to Jayson Tatum. While the Celtics may be a bit undersized with this unit, Hayward's mobility and strength would make up for his lack of size, and his teammates' defensive versatility would provide more than enough support. The offense also projects to be dynamic thanks to the presence of Irving, Jaylen Brown and Al Horford in this lineup.
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