The Boston Celtics have suffered a downward spiral after Game 3 against the Toronto Raptors. They were leading with 2-0 in the second round of the playoffs until the Raptors turned the heat up. The defending Champions quickly picked up their pace and effectively brought the series to a tie.
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However, the Celtics were spectacular in Round 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers. They showcased a clean sweep and certainly proved their worth. But there is something else that did not work in their favor at all.
One of their starters in Gordon Hayward succumbed to a nasty ankle injury which eventually led to him not playing any of the subsequent games.
Gordon Hayward makes his way back to the bubble
During Game 1 of the first-round series of the Eastern Conference against the Sixers, Gordon ended up with a grade 3 sprain to his ankle. In an attempt to get the rebound, he jumped and landed on his teammate Daniel Theis’ foot.
It was later that coach Brad Stevens announced his leave from the Orlando Bubble for at least 4 weeks. His return was ruled out until his ankle recovered completely.
On Sunday, the Celtics received good news about their teammates’ return to the bubble. He is meant to be quarantined for 4 days before he can play. Although, this does not seem to be the main problem.
Even though Hayward has come back, it doesn’t appear as if he is fully recovered from his injury to play the scheduled games. Coach Brad Stevens recently said that Hayward won’t be ready for competition “anytime soon”.
Are the Boston Celtics suffering because of his absence?
Well, at first it didn’t seem like it. They were showing tremendous potential in the first round, in spite of the forward’s absence. Nevertheless, Hayward was en route to his best regular season with the Celtics in 2019-20. He averaged 17.5 points with 50% shooting, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists.
The Celtics are at a stage where they need as much help as possible, and Hayward’s presence could have played a major role in improving their game.
