Hayward out four weeks
Sprained ankle likely to force Smart into a starting role
All it took was one playoff game for the Boston Celtics’ full and healthy roster to be dealt a major blow.
Forward Gordon Hayward suffered a Grade 3 sprain of his right ankle during the fourth quarter of Monday night’s Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers in their Eastern Conference first round series. Hayward is expected to miss approximately four weeks, which would mean a return right around the start of the Eastern Conference Finals, if all goes well and the C’s are still playing at that point. Boston did win Game 1, 109-101, and Hayward did not injure the left ankle that he broke in gruesome fashion back on opening night in October of 2017. But for the Celts and their already-thin playoff rotation, the silver linings likely end there.
“Really tough for him, obviously, tough for us,” said Celtics head coach Brad Stevens after Tuesday’s practice. “He’s had a heck of a season and played really well here (in the Walt Disney World Resort bubble). But, you know, it’s the other ankle — the right ankle this time. Just kind of one of those freak things that happens in basketball all the time. I feel for him more than anything else, and it’s our job to make up for all the great things that he does, by committee.”
The versatile 6-foot-7 Hayward had 12 points, four rebounds and four steals in 34 minutes in Game 1. The C’s were plus-10 with him on the court. For the season, he averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
Stevens wasn’t completely certain if Hayward will rehab and recover in the bubble.
“I think we can certainly do a lot here, but all that stuff is going to be determined. We haven’t gotten to that depth of the conversation,” said Stevens. “He’s bummed, as you can imagine. We put in a lot of time and effort and you do so for this time and the playoffs. That’s what we all look forward to. We’ve been really lucky thus far in the bubble to have good health, and, of course, Game 1 we don’t. But that’s part of it. We’ve lived this before and we’re going to have to have other people step up.”
Hayward played in just one game in 2017-18, missed nine games in 2018-19, and missed 20 games this season. Guard Marcus Smart will likely fill Hayward’s void in the starting lineup, beginning with Game 2 tonight.
“For me, personally, I was there for when (Hayward) did the number on his (left) ankle a few years ago,” said Smart. “When I saw him go down and get up, and just the look on his face, the agony on his face, I was a little terrified. I thought it was the same ankle that he hurt. He said it wasn’t, so in that aspect, that’s a good sign. But at the same time, we lose one of our guys. It’s tough to see anybody go down with an injury, especially when you’ve been playing great basketball.”
Smart said nothing changes energy-wise whether he’s starting or coming off the bench. However, he did say that starting allows him to focus more on the defensive end, whereas coming off the bench often requires him to be more assertive, offensively.
Impede Embiid
Boston had its hands full on the glass in Game 1, as expected against the bigger Sixers. It was star center Joel Embiid who gave the C’s the bulk of trouble with 26 points and 16 rebounds.
Celtics starting center Daniel Theis, who stands 6-foot-8, and is four inches shorter and 35 pounds lighter than Embiid, was the C’s main option to guard Philly’s all-star big man.
“Overall, I think we did a great job in the post. We made it tough for him, I think he had three or four turnovers where the guards stole the ball from him,” said Theis of Embiid. “We know they’re going to go more with post-ups with him, so we got to be ready, especially me, and don’t bail him out with a foul. We’ve got to learn from every game.”
Embiid actually had a team-high five turnovers, while Philly had 18 altogether. Meanwhile, the Sixers’ defensive game plan called for Embiid to sag off Theis to clog the lane. Theis had many open looks, but made just 1-of-5 from 3-point land.
“I’ve got to be more aggressive. I’ve got to take the open shots if they give them to me, and I got to make them,” said Theis.
Bad night for Big Al
Former Celtic Al Horford, who signed a lucrative fouryear contract with Philly last summer, continues to struggle in his first year in a Sixers uniform.
The big man, who averaged just 11.6 points and 6.8 rebounds, while shooting just 45% from the floor during the regular season, had a measly six points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes in Game 1. He was also a gameworst minus-18 on the floor.