NBA: Each team’s greatest comeback from injury in franchise history

Greatest injury comeback in Boston Celtics history: Gordon Hayward

Broken ankle

The Boston Celtics’ greatest comeback story is happening right before our very eyes. Just mere seconds into his first game with the Celtics, forward Gordon Hayward landed awkwardly on his feet and ended up breaking his ankle against the Cleveland Cavaliers, missing the entire 2017-18 season.

Since then, Hayward has returned to the Celtics rotation, appearing in 53 games in 2018-19. He’s averaging 11.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest on 33.7 percent shooting from the field, though his load has been managed well given his team’s depth.

Without Hayward and without All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, the Celtics were just one win away from the 2018 NBA Finals. They lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals and had they had Hayward and Irving, things may have ended a lot differently.

Hayward has still managed to put up two games with 30 points or more, both of which came in a victory. He put up a season-high 35 points on 14-of-18 shooting and 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range in a 115-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Ironically, his other 30-point game came against Minnesota on Dec. 1 as he flirted with a triple-double with 30 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor and 4-of-5 shooting from behind the arc.

Hayward is back, though he’s been used sparingly in the starting rotation. He’s started in just 17 games this year but that’s sure to go up as time goes on. He’s not back to his usual self but he’s one lesson in the process it takes to come back from a freak injury.