A night after taking a hit to the head, Gordon Hayward is ready to return to action vs. Philadelphia. Unfortunately for Boston, Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III won’t be able to join him.
The bad news is that if the Boston Celtics are going to get revenge for their season-opening loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, they are going to have to do it without their most capable defender in Marcus Smart.
The good news is that forward Gordon Hayward will be available despite a blow to the head in Wednesday night’s loss to the Indiana Pacers that forced the Butler product out of the game early.
The Celtics announced that second-year center Robert Williams III will also miss tonight’s game, still recovering from a sore left hip.
Expect a big uptick in minutes for Turkish big man Enes Kanter to adapt to the 76ers’ much larger starting five, though with former Celtic Al Horford being listed as questionable for the match, size may be a bit less of an issue should the Florida product rest.
Hayward’s availability will provide additional options on both ends of the floor that will hopefully put less of offensive burden on All-NBA guard Kemba Walker than he shouldered vs. Indiana.
We may also see significant time with rookie Grant Williams and forward Semi Ojeleye as small-ball fives should head coach Brad Stevens try to make the most of Boston’s speed advantage.
Tip-off for the match is 8pm ET: it will be broadcast on TNT.
The Boston Celtics dispatched the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-88 at home Monday night, with returning All-Star forward Gordon Hayward scoring 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the win.
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
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.
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.
As Gordon Hayward is finally poised to return from hand injury, guard Marcus Smart and big man Robert Williams will sit against Cleveland.
It seems the wait is over for the return of Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward.
The team shared that the Butler product has practiced with the team at this morning’s shootaround, and intends to play according to head coach Brad Stevens.
Waylaid since a hand injury interrupted the Indiana native’s return to form on November 9th, Hayward seems finally ready to resume what looked to be the first season of play at the level Celtics fans hoped to see since the former Bulldog joined the team.
The Flower Mound native is opting to get some rest as an eye infection introduces yet more maladies for the stalwart defender to recover from.
Second-year center Robert Williams III will also sit, nursing a sore left hip, according to the injury report, perhaps opening some minutes for French big man Vincent Poirier, who has recently played with the Red Claws in a hunt for repetitions to keep the rookie’s game sharp.
While the Cavs are one of the cagier teams occupying the depths of the East standings, this is a contest Boston should win handily at home.
It’s also a good chance for Smart in particular to steal a little rest ahead of an away-home back-to-back, as the team faces a resurgent Indiana Pacers followed by a shot at revenge for the season-opener against the Philadelphia 76ers.
After this, a five-day gap in the schedule would allow the Texan guard more time to heal, and a break for Hayward’s hand to recuperate from a gradual uptick in difficulty over the next three games.
The former All-Star has previously noted he expects to have to manage pain in the hand for much if not all of the remaining season.
Previewing Monday’s Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The Cleveland Cavaliers (5-17) and Boston Celtics (16-5) do battle at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Cavaliers-Celtics odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.
Cavaliers at Celtics: Key injuries
Cavaliers: SG Dylan Windler (shin) is expected to be sidelined at least another week.
Celtics: SF Gordon Hayward (hand) is listed as questionable due to a hand injury after practicing Sunday, but he is not expected to play. SG Romeo Langford (ankle) and C Robert Williams (hip) are each listed as out.
Cavaliers at Celtics: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:15 a.m. ET.
The Celtics (-1250) are overwhelming favorites, and no bettor can possibly justify risking more than 12 times their investment no matter how much of a certainty a straight-up victory appears.
New to sports betting? Every $10 wagered on a Celtics win would profit just $0.80 with an outright victory.
The CELTICS(–13.5, –110) have covered the spread in four of the past five games overall, and they’re 4-1-1 ATS across the past six home contests. The Cavaliers (+13.5, -110) have managed a 1-5 ATS record in their past six trips to Boston, and they’re 1-3-1 ATS in the past five meetings overall.
PASS. The total (215.5) is a risky play based upon the fact Hayward is not expected to be in the lineup, and the Cavaliers’ offensive struggles. If there is any lean, it is the Under (-110), which has connected in 12 of the past 17 meetings at TD Garden.
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Celtics wing Gordon Hayward has been having one of the best seasons of his career
The Boston Celtics could be having one of their best players return to the floor soon.
Per Taylor Snow of Celtics.com, Gordon Hayward said to reporters he could return from a broken hand injury as soon as Monday night, when the Celtics will play the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hayward suffered a broken hand injury on Nov. 9 against the San Antonio Spurs, and he has been out for the past 13 games.
Here’s what Hayward said regarding his current status, per Celtics.com.
“The last couple of days have been really good,” he said in regard to his rehabilitation progress, before making a shocking declaration: “Tomorrow’s a possibility.”
Hayward was expected to return around late December, per Snow. Hayward said his hand is healed, but he’ll still need to regain some strength in it and work on getting back into game condition.
The last time the Celtics played the Cavs, Hayward had a career night, dropping a season-high 39 points on 85% shooting from the field in the team’s 119-113 win. The stellar performance is just part of what’s been one of Hayward’s best seasons.
Before suffering the hand injury, Hayward was averaging 18.9 points per game, his highest average since the 2016-17 season; that season was his last with the Utah Jazz. This season, Hayward is averaging career-highs in field goal percentage (55.5) and rebounds (7.1).
Hayward is the Celtics’ fourth-leading scorer this season behind Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. With those four being the core of the team, the Celtics are 16-5 and ranked second in the Eastern Conference.
Appearing on local sports radio show “Toucher and Rich, Boston Celtics team president revealed injured forward Gordon Hayward may resume practicing with the team as soon as Saturday.
Gordon Hayward’s return may be measured in days with news he could return to practice with the team as soon as Saturday coming from the lips of team president Danny Ainge recently.
The Butler product, who has been waylaid with a broken hand since Nov. 9, was one of several topics discussed by Ainge during one of his regular appearances on 98.5 FM’s Toucher and Rich, a popular local sports radio program.
Ainge related (via Yahoo Sports’ Darren Hartwell) the 6-foot-7 forward “is progressing on the court,” and will “probably practice with us this weekend, on Saturday, but quickly pointed out he had no specific timetable to return.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself and get too excited about it, but I think he’s progressing really well,” he added.
Danny Ainge says Gordon Hayward ‘will probably practice with the team this weekend’ https://t.co/jQcouIkX2M
“I don’t know what that means exactly,” he explained (via MassLive’s John Karalis) regarding ” … which game will be targeted.”
While it’s probably wise to assume it could be a week or longer for Hayward to finally suit up for live-game action given all his recent hurdles to a return, it’s not impossible he might be back in action as soon as Monday.
On the night of Dec. 9, Boston hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers, followed by a back-to-back against the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
After that comes a five-day break the ten-year veteran could use to nurse himself back to health. It ends with an away game against the Dallas Mavericks, probably the most likely date for Hayward’s return.
While the team may have to weather a home rematch with the Denver Nuggets tonight without the former Bulldog, it’s looking more and more like the Brownsburg native will be back in action soon.
Nearing the end of the fourth week of an anticipated six-week recovery, Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward opens up about his hand injury, it’s rehabilitation and progress.
Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward is getting closer to a return from a broken hand sustained in November, and recently opened up about his rehabilitation process at a team practice.
Waylaid by the fracture, which took place in a tilt with the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 9, he was initially estimated to have a six-week recovery. Now it appears the Butler product may be able to return ahead of schedule, though for now a return date is still up in the air.
During media availability, Hayward spoke about how he’s been inching towards increasingly hands-on activity as he works his way back from that fracture.
“It went well, [I] played a little … [and had] hybrid contact today with coaches,” he explained (via NESN).”
“It’s definitely sore and and I think that’s something I [have] to work through … that to make my hands stronger, and over the next couple days I can do that and get it more of the same strength of my right hand.”
Gordon Hayward and Brad Stevens have spoken in New York about the forward's progress toward returning to the lineup. https://t.co/KES6EDCI39
Before the hand incident, the Indianapolis native was playing his best basketball since a catastrophic injury moments into his first game as a Celtic, needing the two seasons since to get back on the court and into form.
Thankfully for Hayward, this injury was of an entirely different magnitude. Even so, the bone he broke in his left hand — while not his shooting hand — still comes with its own challenges.
“I think it’s going to be a little while — and plus I was right hand dominant anyway, so it’s never going to probably be the exact same — but get it more strengthened so the percentage is closer to my right [hand].”
The Indianan is unsure when he might return to action given his hand reacts differently day to day, but remains optimistic about getting back on the court.
“It’s still hard to say exactly, but we have some good days here at home where I can practice and really do the things that I want to do, and feel it out and see how it responds … I did a lot on it today so I think it’s going to be more sore. [It] might swell up, so hopefully as soon as I’m done here, [I’ll] go ice it, get some of the swelling down to take it day by day.”
Lately, the contact exercises have been ramped up gradually, though with certain expectations one can’t count on in live-game action. The limits of his body also place barriers to the speed of his recovery. Post-practice, his hand is still swelling up from exertion, which he simply “pushes back down”.
It’s probably also fair to say that despite the comparatively high degree of skill many on the coaching staff have with the game of basketball, they are also no comparison to the length and strength Hayward will have to face on the court from his peers once back in action.
How will Gordon Hayward’s expected return later this month affect Celtics?
“I did some contact today against coaches,” began the former Bulldog as he explained the difference between what can be done in practice compared to the increased difficulty of what he can expect in an NBA game.
“Their coaches aren’t quite NBA players — I know some of them played basketball prior — but you know before getting to that level, I wanted to get comfortable using my left hand in a live situation, which I did today and that went well, so go through the progressions here …
[I’ll] start ramping up the live stuff that I’m doing in the contact situations, making things less structured. Today was a lot more structured, so I can … know what’s going on and can prepare for it in a game. That’s the next step, making stuff more on structure.”
Hayward noted he expects to need some treatment for “a lengthy part of the season” if not all of it to manage the symptoms.
The hand getting hit as players scramble for balls or position is another issue concerning the 6-foot-7 forward; “I’ve never liked things on my hands. It’s hard to play the game and have something like that, but we’re going to look into that. ”
He’s also been working on catching, “passes, left-hand picking [the ball] up with one hand, that type of stuff,” as he gets close to return, but perhaps his biggest concern won’t even necessarily come on that side of the court. Trying to defend opponents with a hand just returned from a fracture presents its own set of issues.
“That’s something that I think is the one thing that I’m not worried about, but concerned, is it’s one thing to dribble and pass with it. It’s another to have somebody coming at you full speed that you [have to] put your arm on and keep them off the glass, or somebody pushes you, you got to try to fight them back or … pushing off on somebody.”
“That’s something that will take a little bit of strength, and so that’s what I’m going to build up, he added.
Hayward had been averaging 18.9 points, 7.1 boards and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 60 % from two and 43.3 % from deep before the injury waylaid him, so it would be understandable if he was frustrated given how long his last recovery was. But the Butler product remains optimistic, even downplaying the gravity of his latest problem.
“It’s been great … this injury is nothing compared to the last one. Anytime you endure something upper body, at least you can be doing legs — running around, jumping — that’s huge in my opinion.”
With the Celtics struggling a bit since his injury towards the end of their early-season win streak, the return of a player putting up All-Star-like numbers would also be huge for a team about to enter a stretch of teams mostly above .500 in the win column.
While we may not know exactly when Hayward can be expected to suit up for Boston again, with news like this, it doesn’t seem likely to be long.
The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks will play on national television for the second time this season.
For the second time this season, the Boston Celtics will play the Dallas Mavericks on national TV, as Yahoo Sports’ Keith Smart has reported that their upcoming matchup (Dec. 18) will be aired on ESPN.
At 14-6, the Mavericks have a record nearly identical to the Celtics’ 14-5 record but while Dallas has a record of 8-1 in their last nine games, Boston has went 6-3in their last nine games despite dealing with constant change thanks to a myriad of injuries and illnesses. That points to the amount of talent the Celtics have and how well they’ve fit to start the season, although they’ve benefited from only having three of their top four players on the floor for half of the season.
Boston went 7-1 in those games but five of those contests came against teams with a record that’s currently far under .500.
Nonetheless, the Celtics should be able to defeat the Mavericks despite the impressive play of their star Luka Doncic, who will be the best player on the floor on Dec. 18 no matter who is healthy for Boston. Doncic has averaged 30.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 9.4 assists per game while shooting 48.4% from the field, proving to be must-see TV with how he showcases exceptional court vision and scoring instincts.
It’ll be another good test for Boston, who may even have forward Gordon Hayward back as he continues to progress from a hand surgery he had to repair a fractured fourth metacarpal in his left hand.
The top 20 highest paid players in the NBA all make at least $30 million.
It’s a great time to be a professional basketball player. If you were thinking of putting your kid in sports soon, definitely have them pick up a basketball.
We knew the league’s salary cap was blowing up a while ago, but I’m not sure anybody imagined it being like this. The NBA is flush with cash right now. The 20 highest paid players in the NBA will all make at least $30 million this season.
It’s not just the LeBron Jameses and Kevin Durants of the world either — there are legitimate non-All-Star players who are jumping into the NBA’s top tax bracket.
Boston Celtics defensive stalwart Marcus Smart will he needed against the Miami Heat’s firepower.
Sick and recovering from what Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens would describe as a contusion after taking a blow to his abdomen in Sunday’s win over the New York Knicks, sixth-year guard Marcus Smart missed Tuesday’s practice and is doubtful to play against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
Smart, who has averaged a career-high 11.9 points per game to start the season while being a two-way playmaker, has played in every game to start the Celtics’ season.
Starting in place of the injured Gordon Hayward, who was a participant for nearly the entirety of Tuesday’s practice after fracturing his hand against the San Antonio Spurs in November, the Tazmanian Devil been integral to the team’s defense with his hustle, precision and strength.
Gordon Hayward did most of practice today, but the Celtics didn’t do anything fully live.
Offensively, his ability to saunter into the lane and generate assists has helped them lived without Hayward.
However, the Butler product’s shooting has been missed both within the arc and outside of it. Further, while Smart can make fine passes when he’s operating on-ball or even just making a hustle play, Hayward plays with an uncanny patience that fits well within the starting unit.
Against Miami, a team with plenty of firepower (they rank eighth in the NBA with 105.1 points per game), athletic frontcourt players and perimeter players like Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn, Smart’s defense will be sorely missed. Along with Hayward’s offense (he was averaging 18.9 points per game before his injury).
There’s certainly a chance that Boston could fall to the 14-5 Heat but if they can take advantage of Miami’s turnovers (a league-worst 18.4 per game) and lack of rebounding (their 44.6 rebounds per game rank 20th in the NBA) then they should come out with a victory, especially in if Smart returns.
