BOSTON -- Gordon Hayward needed a game like this.
And no, I’m not talking about his season-high 18 points which was one of the key factors in Boston holding on for a 117-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
As he continues to travel down the road to recovery from the left ankle injury he suffered in the season opener last year, there are clear and undeniable road markers that serve as a barometer of sorts for how far his journey has come, and how much further he has to go before returning to the form he displayed prior to last season's injury.
In the first half of Thursday's game with the Milwaukee, Hayward tried to block a shot that resulted in him landing awkwardly on that surgically repaired left ankle, resulting in the kind of pain rush he hadn’t felt in some time.
It was impossible even if it were just a fleeting moment, for Hayward to not have a flashback of some sort to the last time he landed awkwardly on that ankle.
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There was a very brief moment of concern on Hayward's part, but after taking a deep breath he realized he and his ankle were both OK.
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And with that pain and the process of getting over it so quickly, Hayward’s ability to go through that experience and literally walk away from it on his own power and keep playing, may have been the biggest victory he has had to date in his comeback.
“Those are the things I have to get through,” said Hayward, who acknowledged after the game that the ankle was sore. “I have to be knocked down, land on that one foot awkwardly just so mentally I know I can do it, but physically know I can hold up and be strong.”
Strong not only describes how his ankle held up, but also his overall game on Thursday.
What we saw on Thursday night was vintage Hayward, mixing in scoring from beyond the 3-point line with drives to the basket.
Defensively, he was much more engaged, and overall seemed to be in the right place most of the time, which shows both his progress from a physical standpoint as well as him having a better sense of what he needs to do and where he needs to be -- to be helpful defensively.
Even though the Celtics had a big night shooting the ball, knocking down a franchise-record 24 three-pointers, the play of Hayward also stood out among the Celtics players.
“He’s battled that injury … it’s good to see him out there feeling more comfortable and getting back to himself,” Boston’s Marcus Smart told NBC Sports Boston. “Not just for him but for this team in general. He’s someone who is going to be a key part to this team, vital to this team down the stretch.”
Celtics guard Terry Rozier echoed similar sentiments about Hayward.
“It’s great to see that,” Rozier told NBC Sports Boston. “We got a long season. It’s good to see him getting more comfortable, finding his spots. We got a lot of good players. He’s one of them.”
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