SAN ANTONIO — Talk across the league was about Gordon Hayward returning to his Utah form, and now this.
The Boston Celtics’ forward broke his left hand while colliding with a pick-setting LaMarcus Aldridge late in the second quarter of Saturday’s 135-115 win over the Spurs, and will miss an indefinite period of time, with surgery a possibility.
Marcus Smart shook his head.
“Man it was tough, tough to hear that. Gordon’s been playing some of the best basketball of his career, and we love seeing Gordon the way he’s been playing,” said the Celtics’ guard. “We love seeing that Gordon. We just all feel so bad for him because he worked so hard to come back from one injury, with all the things he’s been doing, and now this happens. Our hearts go out to him, and now we have to play for him until he gets back and hold the fort down.”
Hayward, off to a hot start in his second season back following a leg fracture on opening night of the 2017-18 season, left the floor early in the second shaking the hand, and immediately headed back to the trainer’s room. There, following an X-ray, it was determined that Hayward had broken his hand.
Hayward’s projected recovery is uncertain at this point. He is reportedly scheduled to see a hand specialist on Monday, and doctors will make a decision about surgery, which should clarify the picture.
Coach Brad Stevens said surgery could lead to a better timeline.
Was the injury demoralizing?
“This one doesn’t feel near as bad as it did two years ago,” Stevens said. “He’ll be back. He’ll be off for a few weeks or a month or whatever it is.”
“That’s tough, I don’t know what the timetable is, but I know that’s tough to deal with an injury,” said Jaylen Brown. “Especially Gordon’s playing really well right now, and we’re leaning on him to help us with this season and the run we’re trying to make. I know that’s really tough. Any time you deal with an injury like that, that’s disheartening. But we wish him a speedy recovery. I think he’ll be fine, I think he’ll be watching the game, and he’ll probably be able to come back and see the game a little different. So we’ll wait for his return, but we’ll try to hold it down for him while he’s gone.”
Said Kemba Walker: “It’s tough, with his old injury and now this. It’s always hard to see one of your brothers go down. We definitely wish him a speedy recovery, and definitely going to miss him, but we just need guys to step up. Now it’s an opportunity for other guys until he comes back, and then we have to hold the fort down.
“I was pissed, I didn’t say anything (to Hayward), I was really in shock for the most part. In those kind of situations, it’s kind of hard to say anything, you just don’t even know what to say sometimes. But yeah, it’s tough man. We’re going to miss him for the time that he’s out.”
Stevens seemed confident Hayward would come back strong.
“I just tell him to keep his head up at the end of the day,” Stevens said. “That’s the only thing you can do. He’s worked hard, he’s in good shape, and he’ll keep himself in good shape. Now he has to encourage some of our wings off the bench. They need to be ready to be called upon to contribute every night.”
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