Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from Game 4 victory vs. Pacers

2. Playoff Gordon Hayward isn’t a myth anymore

The Celtics’ impressive bench effort was inspiring, to be sure. However, for Boston fans, nothing will be more inspiring than Gordon Hayward’s most impressive playoff effort to date. The former All-Star, who has seemingly turned the corner in his rehab from a gruesome leg injury a season ago, lifted his team with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 3-of-3 from the 3-point line.

His stat line is pretty enough as is, but it’s how he got his buckets that should really give hope to Celtics fans. Hayward never missed an attempt in the final quarter of play, displaying a clutch factor that had often been missing from his playoff appearances with the Utah Jazz.

The Gamer Gator, as Celtics Twitter has affectionately anointed Boston’s star forward, tallied nine points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field, with two of those shots coming from beyond the 3-point line, and sank his only free throw attempt in the quarter.  He also hit the dagger that ended the Pacers’ 2018-19 season, and displayed some of the interior finishing that made him a household name in Utah.

The Celtics will need Hayward to be as productive as he was on Sunday if they hope to take down a star-studded Bucks team. While he proved he can be effective late in playoff games, and that he can be Boston’s hot hand in crunch-time, he will need to do it over the course of a series should the Celtics advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.