Hayward Out 4 Weeks (Per Shams)

[Roy H.]

All I know is Marcus Smart needs to remain a starter. His defense and hustle are too important. At this point, it seems fairly clear he's just a better player than Hayward.

Kemba is the guy to look at replacing in the starting lineup if Hayward is to be re-inserted as a starter.

Marcus does a ton defensively.  He also shot 37% (31% 3PT) in games 3 through 7.  I don’t think he’s better than a healthy Hayward.

[droopdog7]

For all the alleged “hate” I’ve given him, it’s plain to see that we need him in this series and the next. I’d advocate for him to come off the bench given how well we’ve started games. We also have a bad bench highlighted by travel monster, Semi Ojeleye

I think him off the bench initially is the way to go. Having Hayward as the first non-big off the bench instead of Ojeleye or Wanamaker is huge. Even just getting 2018-19 Hayward production for the playoffs would be such a crazy improvement over Semi

THIS ^   Semi can be just useless and in a league he doesn't belong .  Hayward can play 10 minutes and not put the team in a hole .  Hayward IQ and passing alone helps if he can't even hit a shot.

Agreed here.  Hayward is - at best - a bench player for the remainder of the playoffs.  Its clear that the Celtics need to play the 3 guys (Tatum, Brown, and Smart) who they have been relying on every post-season.  Ultimately if one of them goes down you can try to reinsert Hayward, but you can't mess with chemistry at this point.

At best?

What?  Hayward has he potential to be the best player on the floor on any given night?  That assumes he's healthy of course but if he's playing I'm going to assume he's healthy.

For my part, just put Hayward back into the starting lineup with him coming off the bench no more than one game.

Considering his slow comeback after every injury, in which parellele universe he might be a starter ever more?

How about THIS universe, where he's been inserted back into the starting line up immediately each time he's come back?

[droopdog7]

All I know is Marcus Smart needs to remain a starter. His defense and hustle are too important. At this point, it seems fairly clear he's just a better player than Hayward.

Kemba is the guy to look at replacing in the starting lineup if Hayward is to be re-inserted as a starter.

I concede that Marcus' impact is difficult to measure.  But Hayward is a better player overall without question.  That said, I love Marcus and everything he represents.  He deserves to be in the closing lineup. 

If hayward were healthy, it's Brown might have to take a seat IMO.  As it were, we'll just have to see.

[nickagneta]

All I know is Marcus Smart needs to remain a starter. His defense and hustle are too important. At this point, it seems fairly clear he's just a better player than Hayward.

Kemba is the guy to look at replacing in the starting lineup if Hayward is to be re-inserted as a starter.

I concede that Marcus' impact is difficult to measure.  But Hayward is a better player overall without question.  That said, I love Marcus and everything he represents.  He deserves to be in the closing lineup. 

If hayward were healthy, it's Brown might have to take a seat IMO.  As it were, we'll just have to see.

In close games where everyone was healthy, Stevens went with his best 5 players: Walker, Smart, Brown, Tatum and Hayward. Theis was the one that sat.

Heck, per 82games.com, the Celtics had a net rating of +21in clutch circumstances (less than 5 minutes in 4th or OT score difference less than 5 points) when Brown was on the floor. You don't bench a guy with that type of effect, especially when he is probably one of the two best 2 way players on the team and one the best 2 way guys in the league.

[Donoghus]

All I know is Marcus Smart needs to remain a starter. His defense and hustle are too important. At this point, it seems fairly clear he's just a better player than Hayward.

Kemba is the guy to look at replacing in the starting lineup if Hayward is to be re-inserted as a starter.

I concede that Marcus' impact is difficult to measure.  But Hayward is a better player overall without question.  That said, I love Marcus and everything he represents.  He deserves to be in the closing lineup. 

If hayward were healthy, it's Brown might have to take a seat IMO.  As it were, we'll just have to see.

In close games where everyone was healthy, Stevens went with his best 5 players: Walker, Smart, Brown, Tatum and Hayward. Theis was the one that sat.

Heck, per 82games.com, the Celtics had a net rating of +21in clutch circumstances (less than 5 minutes in 4th or OT score difference less than 5 points) when Brown was on the floor. You don't bench a guy with that type of effect, especially when he is probably one of the two best 2 way players on the team and one the best 2 way guys in the league.

No way in heck do you bench Brown 

[droopdog7]

All I know is Marcus Smart needs to remain a starter. His defense and hustle are too important. At this point, it seems fairly clear he's just a better player than Hayward.

Kemba is the guy to look at replacing in the starting lineup if Hayward is to be re-inserted as a starter.

I concede that Marcus' impact is difficult to measure.  But Hayward is a better player overall without question.  That said, I love Marcus and everything he represents.  He deserves to be in the closing lineup. 

If hayward were healthy, it's Brown might have to take a seat IMO.  As it were, we'll just have to see.

In close games where everyone was healthy, Stevens went with his best 5 players: Walker, Smart, Brown, Tatum and Hayward. Theis was the one that sat.

Heck, per 82games.com, the Celtics had a net rating of +21in clutch circumstances (less than 5 minutes in 4th or OT score difference less than 5 points) when Brown was on the floor. You don't bench a guy with that type of effect, especially when he is probably one of the two best 2 way players on the team and one the best 2 way guys in the league.

Yeah, but I'm thinking about this series in particular.  Not sure you can do that in against Bam, who would be able to guard our wings and do damage on the other end.

But maybe.

[RPGenerate]

All this talk about who's gonna start, does it really matter? Our top 6 is gonna play a large amount of minutes regardless, and both Hayward and Smart haven't shown any resistance to coming off the bench in their tenure here.

[droopdog7]

All I know is Marcus Smart needs to remain a starter. His defense and hustle are too important. At this point, it seems fairly clear he's just a better player than Hayward.

Kemba is the guy to look at replacing in the starting lineup if Hayward is to be re-inserted as a starter.

I concede that Marcus' impact is difficult to measure.  But Hayward is a better player overall without question.  That said, I love Marcus and everything he represents.  He deserves to be in the closing lineup. 

If hayward were healthy, it's Brown might have to take a seat IMO.  As it were, we'll just have to see.

In close games where everyone was healthy, Stevens went with his best 5 players: Walker, Smart, Brown, Tatum and Hayward. Theis was the one that sat.

Heck, per 82games.com, the Celtics had a net rating of +21in clutch circumstances (less than 5 minutes in 4th or OT score difference less than 5 points) when Brown was on the floor. You don't bench a guy with that type of effect, especially when he is probably one of the two best 2 way players on the team and one the best 2 way guys in the league.

No way in heck do you bench Brown

It's a fruitless discussion without seeing how hayward responds.  But if not Brown, then a smart or Theis because a healthy hayward is better than both.  But brown is in the discussion too depending on the match ups.

[wiley]

All I know is Marcus Smart needs to remain a starter. His defense and hustle are too important. At this point, it seems fairly clear he's just a better player than Hayward.

Kemba is the guy to look at replacing in the starting lineup if Hayward is to be re-inserted as a starter.

I agree overall Smart is better now than Hayward.  But bring very different things...and game by game both can be better than the other...Hayward's injury knocks him down a rung for the moment. 

I think you have to start Kemba, who can be electric.  But if Hayward is having a great game and Kemba so so, then sitting Kemba situationally at the end is something to consider imo.

[Vox_Populi]

Weiss reported Hayward will indeed leave for the birth of his son. Which will take about a week total he says.

Wonder how many games he gets in between the injury and departure. At least the team is used to not having him.

[bdm860]

All this talk about who's gonna start, does it really matter? Our top 6 is gonna play a large amount of minutes regardless, and both Hayward and Smart haven't shown any resistance to coming off the bench in their tenure here.

Ya, just hoping for a boost to everyone.

Look at the minutes in the losses:

Game 3 - Brown played the entire 4th
Game 4 - Brown, Smart, and Tatum all played the entire 4th
Game 5 - Tatum played the entire 2nd half and both overtimes while Smart only sat for 45 seconds.  Walker, Brown, Theis all played the entire 4th and both overtimes.

Even in the Game 7 win - Tatum, Smart, Brown, Walker all played the entire 4Q.  Tatum only sat for 46 seconds in the entire 2nd half.  He saved Grant with the rebound on the missed free throw, but then he himself missed a free throw (Tatum went 3-6 from the line in the 4th).  Whole team shot 36.8% in the 4Q.

I like to think an extra 5 minutes of rest for all those guys would have done wonders.

[droopdog7]

Weiss reported Hayward will indeed leave for the birth of his son. Which will take about a week total he says.

Wonder how many games he gets in between the injury and departure. At least the team is used to not having him.

If this is indeed the case, then expect a whole lot more frustration about the situation.  A week is basically half of a series (if it lasts seven games).  Seems likely that the birth could also coincide with him being healthy enough to return.

If things go badly, hayward will get the wrath and I'm not sure you can blame the fans.

[jambr380]

Weiss reported Hayward will indeed leave for the birth of his son. Which will take about a week total he says.

Wonder how many games he gets in between the injury and departure. At least the team is used to not having him.

Might as well just make him available now rather than waiting until he is officially healthy. He is going to have a week to rest anyway. Hopefully we can make quick work of the Heat and this doesn't really affect anything. If he misses 3-4 games (in addition to the games he is going to miss due to his ankle) and we blow the series...yikes 

[jambr380]

D'Amico posted this a couple of hours ago:

Gordon Hayward went through a hard "small group" workout post-practice rather than participating in the Boston's official practice. Stevens said he looked good, but he's unsure of what that means as far as Hayward's availability for Game 1.

Kind-of crazy that Hayward hasn't been ruled out for game 1 yet. It would be incredible to work him in and get some productive games out of him before he leaves the bubble again.

[BudweiserCeltic]

D'Amico posted this a couple of hours ago:

Gordon Hayward went through a hard "small group" workout post-practice rather than participating in the Boston's official practice. Stevens said he looked good, but he's unsure of what that means as far as Hayward's availability for Game 1.

Kind-of crazy that Hayward hasn't been ruled out for game 1 yet. It would be incredible to work him in and get some productive games out of him before he leaves the bubble again.

Spoke too soon:

Marc D'Amico @Marc_DAmico
Gordon Hayward has officially been ruled out for Game 1.