Prayers for Gordon Hayward

[mosey threetupu]

It was the dislocation that looked so bad from the pic I saw. They look horrifying.

Ankles are deceiving. They bend and flex a lot of ways other joints don’t. If the lower leg was part of it not so much. I posted the King video only to compare a deveastating injury and pain reaction.

 

[Kdo5]

In the aftermath I thought Gordon was not only done for the season but that it might really put his career in jeopardy or that he'd never be the same.

I'm starting to feel cautiously optimistic though. Even if he is technically "ready" late in the season (which would be remarkable given how it looked) he should definitely be shelved for the season. Let him rehab it and he'll be back next year.

It blows because after watching that game I think the Celtics were a legitimate contender with Hayward. They were a lot better than many people expected. But the play of the young bucks was extremely encouraging.

Jaylen Brown is on a path to be a star. My God once his jumper improves more he'll be an All-Star. Already seeing a dramatic improvement from a solid rookie season.

And Tatum rebounded from a rookie start to having a great game including a double double. The future is bright. The Celtics will still be a playoff team (2-4 seed most likely).

Also I have to mention both Smart and Rozier. Smart...if he can start draining threes consistently he will be a great player in this league. Rozier was also flying all over the place and invading the Cavs passing lanes consistently.

It was a real gut punch and I wish the absolute best for Hayward. But still going to enjoy this season.

 

[mosey threetupu]

Man that injury after watching it made me sick to my stomach, can't imagine the amount of pain and agony. Physically and mentally, it takes a lot to comeback from such injury. Praying for the guy!

He didn’t look to be in much pain.

 

[Froob]

Brutal, season flashed before our eyes. Least Jaylen and Tatum looked great. Could be in a much worse position than we are.

 

[IcyPatriot]

He didn’t look to be in much pain.

They probably gave him a block.

 

[bormio]

I think people are reacting to the dislocation. Dislocations do not mean there is always significant ligament damage. Reports are the tibial break is clean. It may not be as bad as people fear.

 

[mosey threetupu]

In the aftermath I thought Gordon was not only done for the season but that it might really put his career in jeopardy or that he'd never be the same.

I'm starting to feel cautiously optimistic though. Even if he is technically "ready" late in the season (which would be remarkable given how it looked) he should definitely be shelved for the season. Let him rehab it and he'll be back next year.

It blows because after watching that game I think the Celtics were a legitimate contender with Hayward. They were a lot better than many people expected. But the play of the young bucks was extremely encouraging.

Jaylen Brown is on a path to be a star. My God once his jumper improves more he'll be an All-Star. Already seeing a dramatic improvement from a solid rookie season.

And Tatum rebounded from a rookie start to having a great game including a double double. The future is bright. The Celtics will still be a playoff team (2-4 seed most likely).

It was a real gut punch and I wish the absolute best for Hayward. But still going to enjoy this season.

I agree with everything you said here other than... I’d be surprised if Jaylen Brown polished a jumper good enough to open up the rest of his game consistently as a top line starter. His form isn’t coming along and his instincts seem marginally better. At best. He’s young so it’s possible but he seems to be too reliant on quick twitch and muscle and at the NBA level I see him being ok at best at those.

 

[mosey threetupu]

They probably gave him a block.

That fast? I heard him scream once. Maybe TNT did the rest editing?

 

[bormio]

They probably gave him a block.

Not on the court.

 

[VrabelJr]

This team was never a contender. Fifty wins, at best.

How many wins do you need to be a contender? We were the #1 seed with just over 50 wins last year.

Are you aware how pathetically horrible the East is?

 

[mosey threetupu]

How many wins do you need to be a contender? We were the #1 seed with just over 50 wins last year.

Are you aware how pathetically horrible the East is?

Contender? For #18?

 

[Kdo5]

Brutal, season flashed before our eyes. Least Jaylen and Tatum looked great. Could be in a much worse position than we are.

They'll be fine. Its more than possible that they'll be back in the ECF but it will require consistency from Jaylen and Smart and instant contribution from Tatum. In that regard all three looked capable of getting the job done.

The silver lining here is that both Brown and Tatum will be much further ahead than we could have expected by the end of the season. It will bode well going into next year and I firmly believe they'll be contenders. But I'd like them to resign Smart to really be sure of that.

And if a Gordon injury had to happen at least it happened right away, hopefully ensuring a timely return next season instead of it happening mid season.

When I saw the reactions of our players when the injury happened I thought "uh oh". I believed that they were going to be badly shaken and blown out in that game. And who could possibly blame them if they lost by 30? But they didn't they nearly won, coming back from a 16-18 point deficit.

If the Celts hadn't been so shell shocked by the gruesomeness of the injury they would have won this game. They were in a funk for the immediate aftermath and were chucking up some embarrassing shots but once they regained composure they controlled the game.

The comeback and resilience takes a little sting out of the pain caused by Hayward's injury.

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

How many wins do you need to be a contender? We were the #1 seed with just over 50 wins last year.

Are you aware how pathetically horrible the East is?

Wins alone don't make you a legit contender in the NBA. Star players do.

 

[SalemPats]

With Hayward out scoring will be tough as Jaylen and smart are not efficient 3 point shooters. Horrors looked slow. I think this team is the 5 seed in the east with cle, tor, was, mil are ahead of the celts now.

 

[VrabelJr]

Wins alone don't make you a legit contender in the NBA. Star players do.

Star players? How did that go for Minnesota, New Orleans, and Chicago last season?

 

[SalemPats]

I agree with everything you said here other than... I’d be surprised if Jaylen Brown polished a jumper good enough to open up the rest of his game consistently as a top line starter. His form isn’t coming along and his instincts seem marginally better. At best. He’s young so it’s possible but he seems to be too reliant on quick twitch and muscle and at the NBA level I see him being ok at best at those.

What I would like to see him is getting a by more muscle and develop a mid range game so him and kyrie can play a pick and roll.

 

[SalemPats]

I think that's the most gruesome sports injury I've ever seen, even worse than Theismann.

God bless him, I hope he's ok in the long run.

I was thinking the same thing to. Hope he can make a full recovery.

 

[Kdo5]

With Hayward out scoring will be tough as Jaylen and smart are not efficient 3 point shooters. Horrors looked slow. I think this team is the 5 seed in the east with cle, tor, was, mil are ahead of the celts now.

We shall see. Really depends on the performance of those guys. I'm thinking #3 seed and hopefully no worse than #4. I was hoping Smart had taken that next step as a shooter. He seemed to look better in preseason but tonight his jumper was same ole same ole.

Brown has tons of potential and I am confident will be a stud but I do worry about consistency.

Kyrie will have to carry the offense even more than initially thought. If he is able to go off and we receive solid contributions elsewhere we're good.

Tomorrow's game against the Bucks will be telling.

 

[SalemPats]

Brown and Tatum showing up in the 2nd half......both are special....both made LeBron look human

I wish that was true, but Lebron looked like a man playing against children. I feel like the cavs took the pedal off and then picked it up at the end

 

[SalemPats]

We shall see. Really depends on the performance of those guys. I'm thinking #3 seed and hopefully no worse than #4. I was hoping Smart had taken that next step as a shooter. He seemed to look better in preseason but tonight his jumper was same ole same ole.

Brown has tons of potential and I am confident will be a stud but I do worry about consistency.

Kyrie will have to carry the offense even more than initially thought. If he is able to go off and we receive solid contributions elsewhere we're good.

Tomorrow's game against the Bucks will be telling.

Hayward was a very efficient perimeter shooter. Horford looked slower. If we go kyrie, smart, Jaylen, Tatum and horford or bynes we need to play more of a pick and roll game, we’re not effecient enough on 3s to space out. I like Tatum more in the pick and roll but he’s still a kid. Stevens has his work cut out for him