Celtics F Gordon Hayward Fractures Left Hand vs. Spurs
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward fractured his left hand Saturday in the Celtics' matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, the team announced. No timetable has been provided regarding his absence.
He will see a specialist on Monday to determine if he needs surgery, his agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN.
"Every year you go through stuff, where different things happen, and different guys go down," head coach Brad Stevens said to reporters. "This one doesn’t feel nearly as bad as it did two years ago. He’ll be back. He’ll be off for a few weeks or a month or whatever he is."
Late in the second quarter, Hayward collided with Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge while trying to defend a Dejounte Murray drive. He left the game for X-rays and did not return.
The injury is potentially a big blow to both the team and Hayward personally. The Celtics started the year 6–1 and the Butler product was starting to show signs that he had fully recovered from the leg injury that kept him out all but six minutes the of 2017–18 season.
Heading into Saturday afternoon’s game, Hayward was averaging 20.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in nearly 34 minutes of action.
He had nine points and two rebounds in 15 minutes before heading to the locker room.
The Celtics led by 18 points at halftime and cruised to a 20-point victory over the Spurs, winning 135-115.
