On the eve of the Celtics’ opener at the Q, All-Star Gordon Hayward noted how he and his teammates are “coming together nicely.” He acknowledged that the process was going to be slow, what with only four returnees from last season’s roster that made the East Finals, and two of five projected starters not even 21 years of age. Still, he expressed confidence that they would do just fine. “We have a lot of guys that can do multiple things, so a lot of versatility both offensively and defensively,” he said. “We have a lot of smart basketball players, too, and that’s going to help us, especially early on.”
Fast forward five minutes and 15 seconds into the first quarter of the Celtics’ set-to against the Cavaliers yesterday, and everything Hayward expected with reason suddenly became moot. Moments earlier, he appeared to have a clear path to the basket, only to be met in the air by LeBron James; the incidental contact off the block attempt was enough to make him land on his left foot awkwardly, and it was clear from the scene that he suffered from a broken ankle (or, per head coach Brad Stevens, a dislocated ankle and a fractured tibia). For those following the match on television, the broadcast thankfully showed the extent of his injury just once; in good taste, producers instead saw fit to reflect the reactions to the unfortunate turn of events. And it was clear from the hushed murmurs of the crowd, the prolonged silence of announcers Mike Breen and Reggie Miller, and the emotional state of fellow players that what they saw and experienced was too gruesome for comfort.
Hayward would be escorted from the court in a stretcher and, around half an hour later, moved to a nearly hospital before being flown back to Boston. Considering the extent of his injury, it’s fair to say the Celtics’ chances of claiming the championship, let alone moving past the Cavaliers in the conference, have suffered greatly. The good news is that he will recover; as hideous as the mishap looked, he can find solace in enough examples of players who have gone through a similar situation and thereafter thrived. The bad news that no one really knows when.
Creditably, the Celtics overcame the shock and actually battled to the end against the heavily favored Cavaliers. No doubt, they were propelled by the prospect of winning one for their fallen teammate, as they will be for the foreseeable future and until he returns. That said, they lost; will and resolve can do only so much in the face of superior talent.
To be sure, determination has invariably been a hallmark of the Celtics’ competitiveness. With or without Hayward on tap, they will always be prepared to show their best, in equal parts because their legacy demands them to and because Stevens knows how to squeeze the most of the assets at his disposal. Then again, they swung for the fences in the offseason precisely because they thought they were due. The time appeared to have come. It’s now postponed, indefinitely.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.
