Poll: Would we have beaten the Heat with a healthy Gordon Hayward?

[footey]

As I was speculating about the draft and what it would take to get to the "next level," started wondering if we really are  short, as is, of going to finals and being competitive for a championship.  Of course this got me to thinking "what if" regarding Hayward's injury. 

What do you think?

(First time I have created a poll, so apologies if not formatted correctly.)

[gouki88]

Yes, and I think we go all the way. We probably cruise past Toronto in 5 or 6 rather than it going to 7, we’d have beaten the Heat and given the Lakers a run for their money

[RPGenerate]

I'd say so. Before the injury, Hayward was balling. I think it would have greatly helped our team if Hayward took some touches away from Smart as a playmaker.

[Roy H.]

I think we easily get by the Heat. 

[PhoSita]

I think it would've gone 7, at least.  Especially since the Celts would almost certainly have beaten Toronto more quickly.

However, Hayward would not have made much of a difference with respect to handling Bam inside.  That would still have been a huge problem.

Hayward being healthy also would not have changed the fact that the Heat were so much better executing and maintaining discipline in the fourth quarter.


My feeling is that with Hayward healthy the series would have been much closer and probably would have been decided by some clutch shot-making at the end of a handful of games.  So a coin-flip.

[Phantom255x]

Yeah, but idk if we beat the Lakers. They just seemed destined to win, plus with our inability to hold big leads plus the refs always screwing the C's it would have been tough even 100% healthy. I do think our defense could have given LAL a stiffer test than all the other teams LAL played in their run.

[Roy H.]

owever, Hayward would not have made much of a difference with respect to handling Bam inside.  That would still have been a huge problem.

Hayward being healthy also would not have changed the fact that the Heat were so much better executing and maintaining discipline in the fourth quarter.

On the first point, I wonder if Brad would have tried going small, having Tatum / Hayward play center.  We would have given up points, but also would have drawn Bam outside on defense.

Regarding fourth quarter execution, I disagree.  Hayward would have not only cut down on fatigue, but he’s a veteran who makes good decisions with the ball.  I think his presence would have helped settle things.

[Who]

100%

[Moranis]

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202008040MIA.html

Didn't seem to matter much in that game as Bam was still a problem and they didn't even have Butler (though did have KO).  The game before the bubble though went Boston's way.  So it would have been a close series, but at the end of the day Butler and Bam were always going to be a problem for Boston and Hayward doesn't fix those issues.

[mr. dee]

Healthy Hayward, healthy Kemba, and healthy Romeo would have made a difference in Miami series. Danny is so high on Romeo for a reason.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I picked the first option, but for me it's with one caveat: Even with the benefit of a healthy Hayward, the Celtics still would've needed to improve their execution—especially late-game execution—a TON in order to win. I don't think the presence of a healthy Hayward would've suddenly made the team mentally sharp and focused.

[SparzWizard]

If Hayward was 100% healthy, we beat Miami in 5, and we beat the living hell out of the Lakers.

We were literally built to beat LA. We have bigs to throw at Davis. We have wings to throw at LeBron, and a variety of guards/wings against Danny Green, Caldwell Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo....

[ozgod]

If Hayward was 100% healthy I think we beat the Heat and the Fakers. We matched up very well against both teams in the regular season with Gordon.

[slamtheking]

I think a healthy Hayward shortens the series against Toronto and gives us the talent improvement to bring Smart off the bench and help us weather Tatum's first half dry spells (if not also get Tatum going without having to wait until the second half).  the better play with another offensive option who moves the ball would also help ease the pressure from an ineffective Kemba.

against the Lakers, C's would have enough scoring wings to force Lebron to play defense the entire time he's on the court to tire him out.  AD would still be a handful but C's had 24 fouls to through at him in Theis, Timelord, Kanter and GWill (even Semi if needed).   the rest of the team is inferior to who we could put against them.  I don't see Dwight getting the chance for much of a resurgence in that match up

[Ogaju]

I voted No...