Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward had an all-time great performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night, scoring a game-high 39 points while shooting an ultra-efficient 17-20 (85.0%) from the field and going 16-16 from inside the arc.
According to Justin Kubatko of StatMuse and Basketball Reference, Hayward’s 16 two-pointers were the most made without a miss in a single game since Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain — who has achieved a mythical status in the pantheon of NBA legends — went 16-16 from the field on Mar. 19, 1967.
Chamberlain would finish that game, a 132-129 win over the Baltimore Bullets, with 37 points and 30 rebounds.
The Athletic’s Jared Weiss provided additional context to the rarity of Hayward’s performance by comparing it to that of other perimeter players. Through his research on Basketball Reference, Weiss discovered that Hayward is the 10th perimeter player in NBA history to convert 17 field goal attempts while shooting at least 85.0% from the field.
Golden Stats Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson — likely a future Hall of Famer — headlines that list, along with Hall of Fame wings in Clyde Drexler, George Gervin, Dominique Wilkins and Bernard King.
As Hayward primarily dominated inside the lane by using his patience, basketball IQ and feel for the game rather than his explosiveness — although he was able to turn to the corner to beat his man a fair amount, especially after receiving a screen — it’s difficult to determine if his performance against the Cavs shows that he’s returned to pre-injury form.
However, even if Hayward hasn’t returned to his prime form, he’s showing an ability to use his intangible skills and his shooting touch to dominate, which is what players who age gracefully in the league learn how to do.
That said, Hayward should be expected to have a few more stellar nights this season.
