There's no need for Celtics fans to panic, but Gordon Hayward didn't practice Thursday and likely won't travel with the team to Cleveland due to a sore back per Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Hayward's injury woes with the Boston Celtics are well-documented, but the good news is this isn't related to his gruesome leg injury suffered in the first game of the 2017-18 season.

Hayward signed a four-year, $128 million contract with the Celtics in the summer of 2017, but minutes into his tenure in Boston, he suffered a fractured tibia and a dislocated ankle, ending his season.

Boston fans are still patiently awaiting his return to the regular season lineup with the Celtics. Fortunately, this back soreness shouldn't be anything to worry about. Teams are generally cautious with their stars in the preseason and this situation doesn't look any different.

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Of course, Brad Stevens would love to see his All-Star swingman get as many reps as possible, but he won't sacrifice Hayward's long-term health to do so.

Boston advanced to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals despite Hayward missing the entire season. Additionally, Kyrie was sidelined following mid-season surgery. Boston made the improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals despite losing their two best players. They relied heavily on All-Star Al Horford in addition to budding stars, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

With Hayward and Irving returning, the Celtics have their eyes set on a championship. They are as deep as any team in the NBA and they are one of the few teams that will have a legitimate shot to knock off the Warriors in a seven-game series.