With Game 1 between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers less than hours away, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens and Pacers head Nate McMillan took time during their pregame pressers to acknowledge the recent performances of Celtics playmaker Gordon Hayward. The 29-year-old nine-year veteran has seen quite the uptick in his play as of late, packing on more of a scoring punch and showing a level of comfort and confidence on the move that hadn’t been there earlier in the season.
McMillan, who was effusive in his praise for Hayward, says that “he has played himself back, I think, into the Hayward we all know.”
The evidence for his premise: his shooting stroke, decision-making and confidence. Though Hayward’s progress this season can be described using former Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas’ mantra of the ‘slow grind,’ it’s clear McMillan has confidence that Hayward has turned the corner in his recovery process.
Stevens, who coached Hayward at Butler University from 2008-2010, knows the forward as much as any coach. To Stevens, Hayward’s progress hasn’t just been about his physical development but his mental development as well; his comfort with attacking the rim and putting pressure on his surgically-repaired leg and ankle.
Though relegated to a bench role while attempting to return to his All-Star form, if Hayward’s last five games are any indication of what Boston can expect in the postseason, he instantly becomes a legitimate x-factor not too long after an anonymous Golden State Warriors player called him a liability on both ends of the court.
Hayward is averaging 18.4 points per game on a true shooting percentage of 73.5 over his last five contests but has averaged 11.5 points per game on a true shooting percentage of 57.5 over the course of this season. Though his assist percentage has taken a slight drop over that stretch (3.4 assists per game this season to 3.0 assists per game over his last five contests), he’s still making astute decisions and is a commits turnovers at a low rate (1.2 turnovers per game in his last five games and 1.5 turnovers per game this season).
Further, the forward is still hitting the boards, averaging 5.4 rebounds per game over his last five games and 4.5 rebounds per game this season.
In his All-Star season (2016-17), Hayward averaged 21.9 points per game on a true shooting percentage of 59.5 while adding 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists to just 1.9 turnovers per game.
A sneaky athletic player who’s intelligent, skilled and versatile with prototypical size for a small forward, Hayward will be dangerous for the Celtics’ second unit.
*All stats gathered from Basketball Reference
