In his first game back since breaking a hand on Nov. 9, Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward looked every bit of the player he was before the injury in the 110-88 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday night.
While his 14-point, 5-rebound performance might not pop at first glance, the fact he managed it on 7-of-10 shooting over just 26 minutes ought to lay any lingering concerns to rest.
UConn product Kemba Walker led all Celtics with 22 points and 7 assists, while shooting guard Jaylen Brown went for 20 points and 7 boards while the Jayson Tatum logged 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Gordon Hayward in his first game back 4 weeks after surgery on his left hand:
— 26 minutes
— 14 points
— 7-10 shooting
— 5 rebounds
— 4 assists
— not too shabby— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) December 10, 2019
The meeting was another wire-to-wire affair, with Cal-Berkeley product Brown putting the Celtics on the board just seconds into the tilt, never to relinquish the lead.
The Cavs kept the match competitive until the game’s third quarter, when Hayward scored 10 of his 14 points on the evening and a 9-1 Celtics run effectively put the game out of reach.
Rookie forward Grant Williams also scored his first trey of his career after a 25-attempt drought.
The #Celtics had a nickname for Grant Williams because he had yet to hit a 3: Ben Simmons.
— Nick Friar (@Nick_Friar) December 10, 2019
Despite a team-high 19 points from reserve guard Jordan Clarkson and a 17-point, 11-board throwback performance from big man Tristan Thompson, Cleveland trailed by double digits most of the second half.
Boston managed the win — the score of which masked stretches of sloppy play by the Celtics — without guard Marcus Smart and center Robert Williams. Smart took the night off with an infected eye, while the former Aggie is dealing with a sore hip.
The Celtics next face the Indiana Pacers on the road on Wednesday at 7pm ET before returning home to rematch the Philadelphia 76ers on the following evening, and remain undefeated at home.