Is load management in Gordon Hayward's future?

https://us.yahoo.com/sports/load-management-gordon-haywards-future-213831059.html



Is load management in Gordon Hayward's future?



NBC Sports Boston

December 25, 2019, 6:38 PM GMT-3




TORONTO -- Only Daniel Theis played fewer minutes than Gordon Hayward among the Boston Celtics' starters in the team's 118-102 Christmas Day win over Toronto.

Chances are pretty good that Hayward will continue looking up to at least a couple of fellow starters when it comes to minutes played.

That's because the nerve-related foot ailment that sidelined him for three games prior to returning on Christmas Day, is going to need to be managed for the immediate future according to Hayward.

"It's still a little sore, but it's playable," Hayward said after the win. "So, it's good; it's good."

Hayward was then asked if the injury will need to be managed going forward this season.

"It'll have to be managed," Hayward said. "Nerves take a while to calm down, from what I've been told. So we're trying not to irritate it and manage it, keep it moving."

I asked him if that management he speaks of involves his playing time being within a certain range.

"I don't think so," he said. "It's more, just trying to make sure it doesn't get irritated as much and just trying to continue calming it down. Some of that is medicine-related, topical creams, different things, just different treatments we're trying to do."

Keeping a relatively healthy Hayward in the mix is critical to Boston's success going forward.

One of the strengths of the Celtics all season has been their speed, athleticism and versatility at the wing position.

Having Hayward around only strengthens what is a clear and undeniable strength of this Celtics roster when you consider the impact made by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on a night-in, night-out basis, not to mention the contributions they have received this year from Marcus Smart who is currently out because of an eye infection.

Hayward is another multi-positional wing in the 6-6 to 6-9 range that serves a multitude of purposes for Boston at both ends of the floor.

"The key is to let the game dictate," said Boston's Jaylen Brown. "I think we're all capable of doing multiple things, we're all interchangeable so I think that's what makes us hard to guard. We can all interchange in terms of coming off the ball, screens or someone cutting or someone in the corner. That's what makes us dangerous. As we get better, I think that rhythm and the flow as we continue to be in multiple spots, makes it harder to guard different guys in different spots."

That group includes Hayward whose left foot will continue to be monitored closely by the Celtics, all aware of just how important he is to the team's chances at success regardless of how much - or little - he plays going forward.



bob
MY NOTE:  We had the 3rd best record in the NBA without Gordon Hayward for most of it.  I'm just fine with him being time-managed, it'll give our rooks and the rest more opportunity to develop.  Just as long as he's healthy and back in game-rhythm by the playoffs it's ok.



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Great point, BobH.  

db

P.S. Soon to be 2nd Best...

I thought load management in general was the plan starting next month, not just Hayward but Tatum, Walker, Brown, and Smart. Good opportunity to get guys like Grant Williams and Romeo Langford ready to contribute off the bench in the playoffs.

I am a little worried. As far as I understand things, the foot that is bothering him is on the same side as the ankle he injured 2 years ago. I am concerned this problem might reflect deeper structural problems from that injury and subsequent surgeries. Even more than being worried for the Celtics, I am concerned for Gordon as an individual.

Also a little worried about Marcus' eye. The fact that it is taking so long to shake the infection worries me. Again, Marcus' vision long term is the most important thing.

Hope I am overreacting.

Shamrock1000 wrote:I am a little worried. As far as I understand things, the foot that is bothering him is on the same side as the ankle he injured 2 years ago. I am concerned this problem might reflect deeper structural problems from that injury and subsequent surgeries. Even more than being worried for the Celtics, I am concerned for Gordon as an individual.

Also a little worried about Marcus' eye. The fact that it is taking so long to shake the infection worries me. Again, Marcus' vision long term is the most important thing.

Hope I am overreacting.

Shamrock,

I think you should be more concerned about Gordon than Marcus. There is no known structural damage to the foot that can be seen with X-rays. There is also no soft tissue damage seen by MRIs. There is nerve pain, but they are struggling to identify where the source of the nerve problem is. Hayward will be 30 in March. His career might be over in 3 years, which is still relatively young for a player of his talent, if they cannot find the source and deal with it. He almost certainly will never get another contract like the one he has because of his injury history and the unknowns surrounding his foot.

Marcus' eyes were subject to the worst viral conjunctivitis any of the doctors have seen but he seems to be mostly back and is healing. The crisis, while quite serious at its height, appears to be past.


bob


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bobheckler wrote:

Shamrock1000 wrote:I am a little worried. As far as I understand things, the foot that is bothering him is on the same side as the ankle he injured 2 years ago. I am concerned this problem might reflect deeper structural problems from that injury and subsequent surgeries. Even more than being worried for the Celtics, I am concerned for Gordon as an individual.

Also a little worried about Marcus' eye. The fact that it is taking so long to shake the infection worries me. Again, Marcus' vision long term is the most important thing.

Hope I am overreacting.

Shamrock,

I think you should be more concerned about Gordon than Marcus.  There is no known structural damage to the foot that can be seen with X-rays.  There is also no soft tissue damage seen by MRIs.  There is nerve pain, but they are struggling to identify where the source of the nerve problem is.  Hayward will be 30 in March.  His career might be over in 3 years, which is still relatively young for a player of his talent, if they cannot find the source and deal with it.  He almost certainly will never get another contract like the one he has because of his injury history and the unknowns surrounding his foot.

Marcus' eyes were subject to the worst viral conjunctivitis any of the doctors have seen but he seems to be mostly back and is healing.  The crisis, while quite serious at its height, appears to be past.


bob


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Yeah, the nerve pain really bothers me. Regardless of how "structural" is defined, it seems likely it us related to the ankle injury (occam's razor). That type of damage is invisible to X-rays. MRI's are also limited in the amount of information they can provide.

Hopefully it's nothing...

Regarding Marcus - if his medical team is unconcerned about his inability to shake this infection, then they are not a good team. Again, hopefully the worst is behind him.

Shamrock1000 wrote:

bobheckler wrote:

Shamrock1000 wrote:I am a little worried. As far as I understand things, the foot that is bothering him is on the same side as the ankle he injured 2 years ago. I am concerned this problem might reflect deeper structural problems from that injury and subsequent surgeries. Even more than being worried for the Celtics, I am concerned for Gordon as an individual.

Also a little worried about Marcus' eye. The fact that it is taking so long to shake the infection worries me. Again, Marcus' vision long term is the most important thing.

Hope I am overreacting.

Shamrock,

I think you should be more concerned about Gordon than Marcus.  There is no known structural damage to the foot that can be seen with X-rays.  There is also no soft tissue damage seen by MRIs.  There is nerve pain, but they are struggling to identify where the source of the nerve problem is.  Hayward will be 30 in March.  His career might be over in 3 years, which is still relatively young for a player of his talent, if they cannot find the source and deal with it.  He almost certainly will never get another contract like the one he has because of his injury history and the unknowns surrounding his foot.

Marcus' eyes were subject to the worst viral conjunctivitis any of the doctors have seen but he seems to be mostly back and is healing.  The crisis, while quite serious at its height, appears to be past.


bob


.

Yeah, the nerve pain really bothers me. Regardless of how "structural" is defined, it seems likely it us related to the ankle injury (occam's razor). That type of damage is invisible to X-rays. MRI's are also limited in the amount of information they can provide.

Hopefully it's nothing...

Regarding Marcus  - if his medical team is unconcerned about his inability to shake this infection, then they are not a good team. Again, hopefully the worst is behind him.

Shamrock,

Mark Murphy @Murf56
about 1 hour ago
Celtics have listed Marcus Smart as questionable for tomorrow's game against Cleveland. Has missed the last seven with a harrowing eye infection.


bob
MY NOTE: So he's getting better, is almost there. He needs more conditioning anyway, he had a week or more of where he was basically blindfolded and bedridden because of the photophobia that came along with the pink eye. He needs to work his cardio back up a bit.


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No better team to start back up against than CLE, the perennial odds-on 1st Overall Pick Fave!!

db