In past playoffs, the Boston Celtics scored Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Now both All-Stars are available again.
Hayward (ankle fracture) and Irving (knee surgery) both had to recover over the summer, but according to Celtics President Danny Ainge both are now so far that they will definitely be back at the training camp at the end of September.
“I don’t want to raise too many expectations, but if our training camp started today, they would be fully involved,” Ainge told ESPN. “You don’t necessarily need this extra month. But they know they have it, so they don’t rush into it and prepare patiently instead. But they wouldn’t have to.”
Both All-Stars will probably be back in Boston next week and will soon take part in 5-on-5 drills, Ainge continued. There is certainly a certain change from rehabilitation to one-on-one to three-on-three to five-on-five and then to NBA basketball, so we should not expect too much too soon. It will certainly take a moment. But physically they both look great and are extremely looking forward to the coming season.
Hayward, 28, could only play five minutes for Celtics last season after moving to Boston and broke his ankle in his opening game against Cleveland. Irving played in 60 games (24.4 points), but missed the complete playoffs.