The Charlotte Hornets finally welcomed Gordon Hayward back to the lineup on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers after he spent the last seven weeks rehabbing from multiple injuries and overcoming COVID-19.
In limited minutes, Hayward put up five points, three rebounds, and 4 assists on 2-of-6 shooting in Charlotte's 144-114 blowout loss. Hayward came off the bench for the first time in his Hornets tenure, clearly struggling to find a rhythm—no surprise considering he hadn't played since February 7th.
However, Hayward did mention that he felt “good” after the game, despite the rough loss.
“It's good to be on the court, wish it could have ended differently though,” he said. “Philadelphia is a really good team.”
In Hayward's absence, the Hornets have looked a lot different. From the growth of young players to coach James Borrego's extended playing rotations to much-improved defensive symbiosis, Hayward didn't return to the same team. The Hornets have been rolling, winning 10 of their last 15 games without one of their veteran leaders.
“I'm just trying to find myself out there,” Hayward said. “It's a little difficult and I have the minutes restriction, too. Rotations are also different.”
Hayward doesn't have to reinvent the wheel, but he does have to find a way to contribute as soon as possible.
The Hornets have four games left in the regular season and need him to at least be half of what he was before he went down. Maybe Hayward floats more to the perimeter or facilitates out in the open floor. There isn't much time to figure out his new role with the team. Unfortunately, he did mention that his foot was sore, so it's unclear if Hayward will have the same kind of lift and explosiveness he did before being sidelined.
Overall, the Hornets have played really well of late. They will be sure to throw this Philadelphia game out the window and look forward to the Miami Heat in a few days.
Hayward has been impressed with his team's recent play, as well.
“It's been great to see. The balls moving, we're having fun out there, and we're tough. Defensively we've done a much better job being in the right position. It's only gonna get tougher these last four games. We gotta be sharp, put this one behind us and get ready for the next one.”
With Saturday's loss, the Hornets sit at 10th in the Eastern Conference. The Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets occupy the eighth and ninth slots for now. The Hornets own tie-breakers over both teams, so they just need to focus on what they can control.
Winning more than they lose is crucial for Charlotte over these last few games, no matter how long it takes Hayward to reach his pre-injury form.
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