Aron Baynes, the Boston Celtics’ oft-injured center, says his ankle is “sore” but “alright” after rolling his ankle in the third quarter of the Celtiocs’ victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Baynes, who would comment on his injury-riddled season, says that it’s “frustrating as [expletive] but it’s also unlucky as [expletive].”
2018-19 was the first time Baynes played fewer than 70 games in the regular season since 2013-14, with the 51 games he was able to play being the lowest number of games he played in a season since his rookie year in 2012-13. However, Baynes always proved to be instrumental to the Celtics’ success when he played, with his energy, communication, screen-setting and interior defense often allowing Boston to lift their play on both ends of the floor.
Baynes averaged 5.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 16.1 minutes per game in the regular season but shot just 47.1 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from three-point range. He’s averaged 3.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 17.2 minutes per game in the 2019 Eastern Conference Playoffs, raising his efficiency and shooting 66.7 percent from the field (as well as 66.7 percent from three-point range).
