Healthy Celtics set to make noise in NBA Eastern Conference

The Boston Celtics — with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward back from injury and youngsters Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum maturing all the time — are tipped for big things in an NBA Eastern Conference now devoid of LeBron James.

James and the Cavaliers denied the injury-hit Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals last season, but a full-strength Boston squad has caught the attention of many — including Klay Thompson of the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors.


“I like the team out East in Boston,” Thompson said in pre-season musings on who might pose the biggest threat to a Warriors title three-peat. “I think that they are going to be a team to reckon with.”

Celtics guard Irving thinks so, too.

“Can we beat Golden State in a seven-game series? Yes,” says Irving. “Because of who we have and what we’re establishing here, not just for this season but hopefully for the next few years — something that’s pretty special.”

Irving missed the last 15 games of the regular season and the playoffs, but the former Cavaliers star says now that he’s healthy, his prior experience against the Warriors could help put the Celtics over the top if they come up against the reigning champs.

He admits that “the whole league is on notice” when it comes to the Warriors’ aim of achieving a fourth title in five years.

“But there’s one factor that they’re aware of and I’m aware of and that’s that I’ve seen them up close. I know what it takes.”

As the season approached, Irving indicated he didn’t want his impending free agency in 2019 to detract from the Celtics’ more immediate goals.

“I believe Boston is the place for me,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge this year.”

Aiding that challenge will be Hayward, who missed 81 games after frightening ankle and leg injuries in last year’s season-opener.


“It’s scary to think about some of the opportunities we’re going to have going forward,” Irving said.

Hayward says last season’s adversity strengthened the Celtics, with Tatum, Brown and Terry Rozier rising to the occasion.

“There’s going to be situations where somebody is going to get hurt again, somebody’s going to be sick, somebody’s going to be having a bad game as it happens every year for every team,” he said. “To have so many guys that we can rely on, that can go get a bucket, that can go get a big-time stop — that’s huge for us as a team.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Hayward vows to be ‘all right’ after broken left leg

 

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward vowed he "will be all right" in a video message Wednesday after a gruesome left leg injury from which he is expected to make a full recovery.

Hayward appeared in a video message from his hospital bed before the Celtics' home opener against Milwaukee just a night after suffering the injury in a 102-99 loss at Cleveland.

"I'm going to be all right," Hayward said in a video shown on the arena scoreboard. "It's hurting me that I can't be there for the home opener.

"I want nothing more than to be with my teammates and walk out on that floor tonight. But I'll be supporting you guys from here and wishing you the best of luck."

Hayward was flown back to Boston and taken to New England Baptist Hospital, where doctors diagnosed Hayward with a dislocated left ankle and fractured left tibia.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Hayward is expected to fully recover but would not estimate a timetable for when he might return until after surgery, which ESPN reported would be conducted Wednesday night.

Stevens visited Hayward on Wednesday morning and spoke with him about the difficult recovery and rehabilitation period to come.

"He's feeling down," Stevens said. "Obviously there's a physical pain to it, but I think it's doubled by the emotional pain in that he put a lot of effort into trying to start his career out well in Boston."

Former Utah Jazz star Hayward, 27, signed a four-year deal worth $128 million with the Celtics in the off-season, expected to team with guard Kyrie Irving and big man Al Horford as an All-Star trio to make the Celtics title contenders.

But he lasted barely five minutes into the opener before making an awkward landing while attempting an alley-oop basket off a pass from Irving and his foot twisted at a horrific angle. Players from both teams were stunned as medical staff rushed onto the court to treat him.

"This is a setback," Stevens said. "But we're expecting a full recovery. We know there will be a lot of tough days ahead on that recovery, but at the same time, I think hopefully he'll improve day-to-day."

Stevens hopes playing well for Hayward can become a motivating factor for a young squad.

"They do want to play well for Gordon. I think the biggest thing is they really care about Gordon," Stevens said. "He has made a big impact on them.

"Certainly you miss that and that camaraderie, but one of the tasks that we have now is to pick up steam for him." — Agence France-Presse