Author Topic: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season  (Read 2350 times)

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Offline jpotter33

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http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2017/12/09/night-out-with-gordon-hayward-discussing-his-recovery-his-team-and-his-eventual-return/Tyn2pgl8J49rl3305W4euM/story.html

It's a good article detailing Gordon's mindset and current progress. A snippet:

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Hayward admits that he thinks about it, too. But he immediately cautions that there can be dangers in looking far ahead. He has made this progress by tackling obstacles one by one, and he knows the last, most massive one remains distant.

But yes, of course he is aware of it. Of course he would like to play for the Celtics this season.

“It’s definitely in the back of my mind,” Hayward said. “I’m definitely pushing to get back as fast as I can, while making sure that I still have a lot of good years of basketball in me. And coming back early and hurting something else is not part of that plan. So I’m making sure that if I come back, I’m one-thousand percent confident in myself and my leg. I hope more than anything I can play this season. That would be awesome. But that’s not something I’m stressing about. I’m stressing about what I can do today to help myself get better.”


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His return date, of course, remains unclear. The Celtics have been cautious, consistently saying they do not expect Hayward back this season. Hayward does not expect it, either. He does not like to think that far ahead.

But he is also an undeniably fierce competitor, and there is no better motivator at the end of this long, trying journey than playing in an NBA game again.

“I feel like for me it’s better to just tell myself, ‘Let’s be better today than I was yesterday,’ and then keep doing that day in and day out,” Hayward said. “And if it happens to get to the point where the season’s still going on and I can play, then, like, that’s awesome.”

Re: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2017, 08:08:29 PM »

Offline DefenseWinsChamps

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Excitement increase*

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Re: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2017, 11:28:49 PM »

Offline Jiri Welsch

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Just was going to post this. Interesting to hear!

Re: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2017, 11:41:48 PM »

Offline tarheelsxxiii

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Hard for any one not to like the guy.
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Re: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2017, 10:11:21 AM »

Offline cman88

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I have a feeling we are going to see hayward return in March. he seems pretty determined to get on the court this year.

if hes 100% physically and mentally, and wont reinjure anything, why not? he can be a big boost to the C's in the playoffs

Re: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2017, 12:57:24 PM »

Offline Sketch5

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If he's ready I could see him coming off the bench in the beginning. Playing against teams second units will help his confidence and give us some much needed scoring off the bench and late game help. I'd be happy with just him at 15-20min at the end of this season.

Re: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2017, 01:05:36 PM »

Online Phantom255x

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Obviously health first, but can you imagine if Hayward could come back by April and come off the bench for us and give us a scoring spark there.

Our scoring off the bench can be a big problem at times, but inserting Hayward there could literally solve that problem come playoffs. (15-20 minutes/game.. 12-14 PPG?)

Maybe even have him out there in the final few minutes of games (closing lineup) when in need of buckets.

But I imagine Danny will also look to solve that problem (the bench scoring outside Morris) using the DPE as well in the coming months (January/February).
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Re: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2017, 02:49:31 PM »

Offline Atzar

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Honestly I think getting him back this year is probably a pipe dream.  Maybe he can get physically healthy by then, but he also needs to get his mind right - and then there's the matter of whether his return would actually help us.  A 100% Hayward is a terrific player.  An out-of-shape and rusty Hayward may do more harm than good. 

Re: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2017, 03:30:52 PM »

Offline Jiri Welsch

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Honestly I think getting him back this year is probably a pipe dream.  Maybe he can get physically healthy by then, but he also needs to get his mind right - and then there's the matter of whether his return would actually help us.  A 100% Hayward is a terrific player.  An out-of-shape and rusty Hayward may do more harm than good.

I think most here agree with you on this. At the very least, I’d like to see him practice with the team to get his confidence up for next year

Re: Excellent Hayward Piece by Himmelsbach; Hopes to Play This Season
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2017, 09:24:21 AM »

Offline Big333223

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Quote
So in addition to the grueling rehab work, they installed unique challenges, with scoring systems and time records and winners. Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens have taken part, money has exchanged hands, and Hayward has relished it.

In one of the competitions, “multiple marble madness,” 17 marbles are placed on a small towel and Hayward must pick them up with his toes and deposit them in a box as quickly as possible. The first time he tried it with his injured left foot, it took him 4 minutes, 57 seconds. And he said he probably cheated, too. This week, he did it in 38 seconds.

“Little things like that,” Hayward said. “Like, I can tell I got better today because I shaved three seconds off my PR.”

Then there is the “Celtic chair challenge,” in which a competitor must make a half-court shot while seated. Entrants pay $1 per attempt, with a maximum of five shots per day. The jackpot accumulates until one goes in.

Ainge, Stevens, and Celtics Aron Baynes, Semi Ojeleye, and Guerschon Yabusele are among those who have entered. Hayward has enjoyed watching the missteps.

“I’ll just be like, ‘Thanks for the donation. Keep it moving,’ ” he said with a chuckle.

The jackpot has reached $80. Hayward, who is making $27.9 million this year, points out that he does not shoot for the jackpot when his teammates are on the road, because that would not be fair to them. Ainge, it should be noted, made the shot once with a baseball-style toss.

“But put it on the record that I’m definitely the best from half-court,” Hayward said.

I love this. Everything I read about his rehab makes me believe he's totally engaged with the process. Incorporating these competitions that keep him striving and involved with teammates is brilliant.
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