Tag: Gordon Hayward

New’s Roundup: Kyrie/Murray, Rozier’s future & more!

Here are some recent headlines in the world of the Celtics.

1. Kyrie stands by his actions in Denver

During the ending of Monday’s loss in Denver, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray launched a last second 3-pointer in hopes of accumulating 50 points, which did not sit well with Kyrie Irving, who proceeded to recover the ball and toss it into the stands.

Irving was fined $25,000 by the NBA for his actions, and when he was asked by reporters about the fine, he remarked that it was “well-deserved”. Murray’s last second heave did violate an unwritten rule in the NBA, which is to simply dribble out the clock when victory is guaranteed in the final seconds. 

As Kyrie said, the Celtics will see Jamal Murray and the Nuggets again, so it will be interesting to see the dynamic between the two guards. 

2. Rozier and Ainge squash trade rumors

Over the last few days, it had been reported that at least 7 teams were interested in trading for a reportedly disgruntled Terry Rozier. Earlier today, Danny Ainge spoke out to squash any rumors on Rozier’s unhappiness and the possibility of him being traded. 

Rozier also came out to refute the rumors, as he remarked that he was happy in his current situation. With this being a contract year for the young point guard, it will be an interesting situation to watch as the season progresses.

3. Hayward’s homecoming

Tomorrow night, Gordon Hayward will make his long-awaited return to Salt Lake City, as the Celtics take on the Utah Jazz. Hayward left the Jazz during free agency in 2017, but he ended up missing the entire 2017 season due to an injury suffered in the opener at Cleveland. The Jazz did not really miss a beat with Hayward’s departure, as they filled in his absence with sensational rookie, Donovan Mitchell, who has been able to lead Utah to be one of the best teams in the West so far this season. 

Expect an emotional return to Utah for Gordon Hayward, as he will likely have to deal with disgruntled and upset Jazz fans.

hayward jazz.jpg
(Rick Scuteri/AP)

4. Peyton Manning joins the Celtics in the film room

During the Celtics’ visit to Denver, they welcomed former NFL QB Peyton Manning to one of their practices. Brad Stevens and Manning know each other from their respective stints in the state of Indiana, so Stevens brought him in to help with watching film (which was one of Manning’s hallmarks as a competitor during his career in the NFL). Both Stevens and Kyrie Irving credited Manning’s influence during the practice, as they felt that having a proven champion help them break down film improved the efficiency and enthusiasm of the practice. 

Hopefully Manning’s influence will help the Celtics remedy some of their miscues with the use of more efficient film work.

News Roundup: Kyrie’s style, Hayward’s bounce-back and more!

Here are some of the recent headlines in the world of the Celtics.

1. The effect of getting a haircut

Kyrie Irving made headlines over the off-season due to the afro and headband he debuted during 2018’s Media Day. Irving did not have the greatest start to this season, as he was heavily inconsistent and struggled to make shots, with Jayson Tatum being the C’s main weapon. This came to a head when he scored only 3 points during the Celtics’ win in Detroit.

Prior to the Celtics welcoming the Pistons on October 30th, Kyrie got a haircut and ditched the headband, and proceeded to score a team-high 31 points to lead the C’s to another win over Detroit. He followed this performance with a 28 point outing during a victory over the previously undefeated Milwaukee Bucks.

Let’s hope that Kyrie’s new haircut continues to fuel great performances.

kyrie haircut.jpg
(Photo via USA TODAY Sports)

2. Nike and Kyrie debut the Kyrie 5’s

Earlier this week, Nike debuted Kyrie Irving’s latest signature model, the Kyrie 5. This shoe takes inspiration from earlier Kyrie models, and also continues to innovate forward. Interestingly enough, the quarter of the shoe features the Illuminati symbol, as a reference to Kyrie’s strong belief in conspiracy theories.

kyrie 5.jpg
(Photo via Nike)

Check out this article from SLAM, which details the inspiration behind this shoe.

3. Hayward continues to propel forward

Celtics’ fans have been maintaining a keen interest in Gordon Hayward’s performance, due to his return from the horrifying ankle injury he suffered last year. Similarly to Kyrie, Hayward has been inconsistent since the season started, which has caused several pundits to question whether he was worth the investment Boston paid for him. Hence, it was encouraging to see his outing against the Bucks on November 1st, when he scored 18 points, and had a good defensive performance. Also, there was a sequence in the game when Hayward came down hard on the left ankle he fractured last season, but he was able to shake it off and continue playing. When asked about that incident, Hayward mentioned that his left foot was sore, but that he would be fine.

Hayward has a big game coming up on November 9th, when the Celtics visit his former team, the Utah Jazz.

hayward v bucks.jpg
(Winslow Townson/ USA TODAY Sports)

4. City Edition

Last season, the Celtics wore a mediocre grey uniform, which was dubbed the ‘City Edition’ by Nike.

Nike_NBA_City_Edition_Uniform_Boston_Celtics_0077_native_1600.jpg
(Photo via Nike)

Recently, the 2018-19 iteration of the City Edition uniform was leaked on Twitter, and it appears that Nike took inspiration from the old St. Patrick’s Day alternate, as this uniform is white with green and gold trim, and I have to say that this is a marked improvement.

Expect the Celtics to officially unveil this uniform sometime in the next week.

5. Looking ahead

The Celtics have a tough slate coming up, as they travel west to take on teams such as the Jazz, Trail Blazers, and Nuggets.

 

News roundup: Hayward, Kyrie & more!

Here are a few notable headlines regarding the Celtics over the past week.

Hayward undergoes surgery: 

hayward injury
(Photo by Tony Dejak/AP)

Celtics fans can still remember the nauseating sight of Gordon Hayward grasping his fractured left ankle on opening night back in October. Hayward’s recovery process was extensively covered by the national media, with many analysts and fans wondering when he would return to the court for the Celtics. Danny Ainge, Brad Stevens, and the rest of Celtics’ management were cautious with Hayward’s rehab process, as they chose to not rush his recovery. 

Hayward made sure to keep Celtics’ fans in the loop, as he shared several videos showcasing him dribbling and shooting, which were definitely tantalizing for several fans, as they imagined the strength of a Celtics’ lineup that includes Hayward.

On Wednesday, the Celtics reported that Hayward had undergone a successful surgery to remove plates and screws from his ankle, as they were causing “irritation to his peroneal tendons”. According to the Celtics, Hayward’s ankle and fibula are now structurally sound, and he should be able to resume basketball activities in 6 to 8 weeks. This should be exciting news for Celtics’ fans, as they will soon be able to witness their team in full strength.

Kyrie spotted playing pickup basketball in New Jersey:

Kyrie Irving took some heat for missing the Celtics’ Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, as many pundits felt that his presence would have been invaluable for the Celtics’ young stars. Danny Ainge explained Irving’s absence by mentioning that he had undergone surgery to repair a deviated septum in his nasal canal (which was reportedly suffered when Aron Baynes elbowed him in the early stages of the season). 

Kyrie was recently spotted playing some pickup basketball in Hoboken, New Jersey, which is an encouraging sign for Celtics fans. For the people asking why Kyrie was able to play pickup hoops if he’s injured, it is almost impossible to compare the physicality of a pickup game to an actual NBA game.

Tatum’s appearance on ESPN:

Jayson Tatum had a great appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, as he discussed various topics, such as his dunk on LeBron James, and his experience as a rookie in the NBA. 

One of the highlights of this interview was Tatum’s puzzled expression when ESPN Analyst Jay Williams mentioned that he picked the Cavs to win the NBA Finals over the heavily favored Golden State Warriors.

https://twitter.com/NYSportCast/status/1002298590902083584

This interview showed that Tatum’s ability to spell is probably not as good as his ability to dunk, as he struggled mightily to spell out his former coach Mike Krzyzewski’s last name.