Irving, Hayward back with mixed results
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The team everyone expected the Celtics to be after last year’s opener actually appeared in the rocky setting of last night’s preseason opener, a 104-97 loss to the Charlotte Hornets in the Dean Smith Center.
The two stars not available for playoff duty last spring — one inactive for much longer than that — had mixed returns to the Celts.
In his first game back since an ugly leg injury in the 2017 opener, Gordon Hayward started slowly with 1-for-5 shooting, before opening the third quarter with a pull-up 3-pointer, and ultimately scored five of his 10 points from the line in 22 minutes.
Kyrie Irving scored seven points in his first four minutes, including a pair of 3-pointers, and finished with nine on 4-for-10 shooting. It was his first post-surgical appearance and he too went 22 minutes.
Overall, the Celtics had their best minutes early, with the starting unit of Irving, Hayward, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown pushing the team out to a 37-20 first-quarter lead.
The C’s carried a 15-point lead into halftime, lost it early in the fourth quarter with a group of reserves, including Semi Ojeleye, Guerschon Yabusele, Daniel Theis, Brad Wanamaker and rookie Robert Williams unable to recover.
After hitting eight of their first 25 3-point attempts, the Celtics went chilly, making 1-of-22 to the end.
Close to home
Once the Celtics entered the so-called triangle — that 10-mile battleground spanning the University of North Carolina, Duke and North Carolina State — the need to represent heightened. Irving and Tatum showed up for the morning shootaround at UNC wearing Duke gear.
Both made the 8-mile trip to Durham, N.C., a day earlier to visit the Duke campus, where they will always be heroes — even if due to a freshman injury Irving only played 11 games for the Blue Devils.
“It’s awesome just because of what we’ve established here with the brotherhood,” said Irving. “You hear past Duke guys — oneyear, two-year, three-year, fouryear guys — talk about how we all stick together. We’ll always be Blue Devils. Great to be part of a program that I joined at 18 years old, and I knew I was going to be part of forever.”
By last night, however, they were on enemy ground at the Dean Dome.
“It was pretty cool, seeing it on TV and obviously experiencing it as a fan when I was watching Duke play here, watching my teammates here, Nolan (Smith) and Kyle (Singler) going against UNC,” he said. “This environment. It’s just so historic. There’s a great rivalry between Duke and UNC — great respect at both universities because of what we’ve accomplished over time. Being so close in mileage and rich in tradition, it’s awesome.”
Tatum got a better on-court feel for the rivalry in his only season with Duke. Indeed, the second-year forward admits to missing his college days after joining the Celtics.
“I only went to college for a year. I really missed it a lot last year. I enjoyed the experience, being on a campus,” said Tatum. “It was great to be a part of that rivalry.”
Smart takes time
Marcus Smart was allowed to miss the trip for what Brad Stevens says were personal reasons.
The Celtics coach added that Smart was expected to rejoin the team today.
It’s been a sad month for the Celtics guard as his mother, Camellia, lost her battle with cancer about two weeks ago . . . .
Tatum displayed a pair of additions last week — a tattoo on the front of each thigh.
“Summer additions,” said Danny Ainge. “Maybe to make his legs look bigger?”
Familiar face in N.C.
Ron Nored, the former Butler point guard who later joined Stevens on the staff of the Celtics and the Red Claws, spent his first game on the Charlotte bench last night as a Hornets assistant coach.
“No surprise. Anyone who has ever been around Ron knows that he was born to lead,” said Stevens. “He has an unbelievable ambition to him. He loves the game, loves being around people and being part of the team even more. He’s one of the best people I’ve ever coached.
“Really somebody I leaned on at Butler, and any of his teammates would second that,” he said. “It was great to have him here for a couple of years when I first got here — half that time he lived at our house.”