Gordon Hayward offered no hint that he’d be able to return to playing for the Celtics this season in his latest blog post.
Hayward provided an update on his rehab, how he sees his team coming together as they stay on top in the East and a glimpse at his family life in his first post on gordonhayward20.life in a few weeks.
There has been speculation that Hayward might be able to return late in the season as he’s begun shooting - including last week in Los Angeles before games - since severely injuring his ankle five minutes into his first Celtics season. While he admits he’s making progress, Hayward says of his rehab:
"It’s pretty monotonous, and it’s not fun. I’m just trying to get through it."
He describes his on-court workouts as pretty limited:
"On a basketball court, I’m still limited to doing things where I’m basically standing still and then taking maybe one step. Everything is flat-footed. So I can do a dribble pull-up, and though I don’t jump in the air, I still do the dribble and the step. On finishes around the rim, I can do a step and finish, but staying on the ground."
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As for the East-leading Celtics (35-15), Hayward has plenty of praise for his teammates and his former coach at Butler, Brad Stevens:
"It’s a testament to the players, their mental makeup and how our guys are wired. We’re natural competitors. We have a lot of guys that do the little things, that scrap and fight. Part of it is definitely Coach Stevens and the way he’s able to not panic, and instead, encourage our guys and put them in the right positions to be successful."
