NBA opening night is meant to be a cause for celebration, but one play in the first game of the season changed that.
The play itself, at the six-minute mark of the Boston-Cleveland game, was innocuous enough. A Gordon Hayward back cut, a lob pass to the rim, Hayward rising to try and catch it while wedged between two defenders.
Then, an awkward landing. At first, the play continued around him, but the referees quickly stopped the play when they saw Hayward hunched over on the ground.
That’s when the camera panned to Hayward for a split second, before the TNT team realised exactly what had happened, and fans at home saw the full extent of the damage.
Without going into the details, it was gruesome.
Hayward has since been diagnosed with a fractured ankle. It is not yet known how long he will be out for, but at this stage, you just have to hope that he’s doing okay.
As a fan, it was a shock to the system. The anticipation for opening night had been building through the whole offseason. I know I was as excited about the NBA as I have been in a long time.
As soon as Hayward’s injury flashed on the screen, that all disappeared. The excitement was replaced by a sick emptiness.
(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
I’m sitting at my desk watching the last minute of a close game, a game that is everything I was hoping for in the first game of the season. Except it just feels off.
If that’s how I feel, as nothing more than a fan of the game, then how must the players be feeling?
Many from the Cavaliers would know Hayward personally. Boston’s players just spent the whole summer working out with him, getting to know their new teammate, getting stronger together and dreaming about a championship next June.
How do you keep playing after seeing him like that?
And what about Hayward’s family and friends watching at home? How must they feel, seeing someone so close to them helpless and on the ground on their TV screens?
Most importantly, how must Gordon Hayward himself be feeling? A whole offseason of hard work, and potentially a whole season of his basketball career, have been squandered thanks to a freak accident that no one could have prevented.
Injuries are a part of sports, and players and fans expect them to happen. But when an injury so graphic happens so early and is broadcast to the world, it’s a sobering reminder of how fragile professional athletes and their careers can be.
The excitement for the NBA will return, as will Gordon Hayward, hopefully as strong as ever.
Most of the time, basketball is the best thing in the world.
But sometimes, it really, really sucks.
Mushi
Guest
He will be back. As sickening as it looks there are worse long term injuries (that normally look benign). The biggest thing for him will be mentally, listen to PG13 and it took him awhile to attack a jump after his injury. But he still got there.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It was pretty sickening. Seeing his foot pointing completely the wrong direction. Wouldn't wish that on anyone. As far as the season being over when it's barely began, that part I can empathise with. A number of years back I spent the whole winter at the gym trying to get the fittest I'd been in years heading into a cricket season, then busted my ACL in pre-season bowling in the nets, wiping me out for the whole season. That's not close to being as bad as a break like that, but for me it was soul destroying. I got back and played cricket again, but was never able to get the motivation to do the gym work and get that level of fitness since then. Of course, these professional athletes have a drive that pushes them to do that work in a way I certainly could never match. I'm sure he'll be back as good as ever, but it's a horrible thing to happen.
Mushi
Guest
I actually think this is good for Irving. This Boston team is flawed (they went too far with the team defence for individual offence trade) but now Irving get's a free pass this year
Mushi
Guest
Case in point the Celtics contested a lob v the Greek freak just now. It's not a non contact sport
Red Kev
Roar Guru
I was so pumped for Boston this season - and I wanted to see what happened when the proud (Irving) took on the throne (James) and now it's not really gonna be a contest. Washington are no.2 in the East now and they're roadkill to LBJ.
Mushi
Guest
We don't agree to often swampy but I'd say if you don't bump a cutter like Crowder did then you should not put a jersey on. Horrible luck, but no foul play.
Swampy
Guest
It's a long way from June. The Celtics still have pieces they could move.
Swampy
Guest
Do you not play basketball - this was just a normal play and it was a freak accident. Trying to apportion blame is ridiculous. Contact like that happens 100 times a week in the nba. No one wants it whistled away.
Mushi
Guest
Really? The "nudge in the back" is barely perceptible and doesn't disrupt Heyward at all. If it had he wouldn't have gotten up to the ball unless you think he's got like 72 inches leap on him And the "run into by James" is him reaching for a lob pass. So basically it could be avoided if you banned the defence from being able to interfere with the offence trying to score.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Terrible injury. Don't think I have season basically end for a team ( in regards to winning the title) after 6 minutes before.
Joel Erickson
Roar Guru
I can't agree with your idea of this being unable to be prevented. He got a nudge in the back from Crowder that put him off balance in the air, and then was run into by James which put him in the awkward position. Neither guy was going out to break his leg, but it's two acts of contact that didn't need to happen.
Swampy
Guest
Did let the air out of the ball a bit that one.