Hayward set to return to Celtics' rotation for East finals

Gordon Hayward has been part of Boston teams that have made the Eastern Conference finals twice in the past three seasons. He’s about to finally find out what those games are like.

The Boston Celtics listed Hayward as active for Game 3 of their East title series against the Miami Heat on Saturday night, with every indication that his right ankle is now well enough to allow him to play. When he does get into this series, it’ll be his first time in an East finals game; he was inactive for all seven games in the 2018 series and the first two this year, both times because of injuries.

“He can score the ball. He can switch all the different positions. He gives us a lot of defensive flexibility there. He just gives us a lot," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “And I think that he’s always been a guy that provides a great sense of stability."

Hayward played 34 minutes in Game 1 of Boston’s first-round series against Philadelphia when he hurt the right ankle. The Celtics said Hayward would be out at least four weeks with what they said was a Grade III sprain, the most severe level; it’s been about 4 1/2 weeks, so he’s essentially right on the envisioned schedule.

“We don’t expect him to be a world-beater, but I think his presence helps us," Stevens said.

Hayward had a strong season for the Celtics, averaging 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists on exactly 50% shooting. Hayward was only the second Boston player to have those numbers, or better, over a full season; Larry Bird is the other, and he did it five times for the Celtics.

The Celtics went into Saturday trailing Miami 2-0 in the series.

Hayward was a top target of Miami in the free agency summer of 2017 before he chose the Celtics. Boston went to the East finals in his first season there, but he played only five minutes of the first regular-season game before his year ended with a terrible injury — a dislocated ankle and fractured tibia. The Celtics lost that East title series to Cleveland in seven games.

Image credits: AP