Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from 2017-18 season opener

1. Gordon Hayward’s injury overshadows everything else

Gordon Hayward sprinted to the rim with just under seven minutes to go in the first quarter. He jumped towards the rim, skying for an alley-oop dunk over LeBron James that could have energized the team. Then he fell from the sky, and with him, so did the Celtics’ dreams of a potential berth in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Hayward reportedly dislocated his left ankle and fractured his left tibia, and will need surgery after the gruesome play that left everyone on the floor shaking their heads and hoping for the best.

Many notable athletes, both NBA and otherwise, took to Twitter to send their best wishes Hayward’s way. Paul George, whose career was jeopardized by a similarly horrific injury, was among them:

While Hayward’s injury severely impacts Boston’s season, the team is somewhat lucky in that they have two young wings who could both break out with increased minutes. However, the focus of today should not be on them, but on their fallen comrade.

Next: 2017-18 NBA season previews, predictions and power rankings

Celtics fans and basketball fans alike will now have to wait with bated and hopeful breath for a speedy and full recovery for the newly minted All-Star. Hayward might be out for most (if not all) of the remainder of this season, but fans everywhere should hope that he can bounce back just like Paul George and pick up his NBA career with the same verve that it had before this game.