How Gordon Hayward could decide the Celtics' fate in series vs. Heat
We said it before Gordon Hayward’s return to the court for the Boston Celtics, and the highlights from an Eastern Conference finals Game 3 win proved it: Hayward is the X-factor that will decide whether his team goes to the NBA finals or goes home from the bubble.
As our Charles Curtis says in the video above, Hayward’s play in Game 3 showed how he was able to help the Celtics break through the Miami Heat zone defense. As a slasher, he was a great passer to find the open man, and he hit a few shots himself. And that’s in his first game in about a month, with him knocking off rust. We know what to expect from Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown, so if Hayward can fit in like he did this season, it’s huge for Boston.
Will he push his play up a notch for the rest of the series? We’ll find out starting Wednesday night.