Words by Jason Cordner


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Seven minutes into the new NBA season, the unthinkable thing happened to Gordon Hayward.

Gordon Hayward came down awkwardly after trying to catch an alley-oop from Kyrie Irving. Hayward’s left leg buckled unnaturally under him and his ankle was severely injured. After the Cavs bench reacted to the image of Hayward’s leg in front of them, play was stopped for multiple minutes before Hayward was carried off the court.

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Players from both teams rushed to give Hayward words of encouragement before he left the court, and LeBron James reportedly went into the Cavs locker room where Hayward was being treated.

Hayward, who signed a four-year, $128 million contract in the summer and joined his former college coach Brad Stevens in Boston, scored two points before the injury.

With millions watching as the NBA finally tipped off after a long and dramatic summer, twitter and NBA stars, rallied in support of Hayward.

After the game – a 102-99 Celtics loss – Boston coach Brad Stevens said Hayward dislocated his ankle and fractured his tibia. The team announced the injury as a fractured left ankle. Hayward was set to fly back with the Celtics to Boston on Tuesday night and go straight to New England Baptist Hospital after landing.

Where Does Boston Go From Here?

The Celtics had high hopes for this coming season. In a split second, those hopes faded away. Without Gordon Hayward, it will be extremely difficult to maneuver through the Eastern Conference. Kyrie Irving and the rest of the team will have their work cut out for them. Devastating blow, to a promising season.