Final: Celtics 115, Wolves 102 -- Hayward's 35 points carry Kyrie-less Celtics

With Kyrie Irving sidelined with scratched eyes, the Celtics needed to look elsewhere for scoring to keep pace with the offensive-minded Wolves. Gordon Hayward came off the bench to do just that for the second straight game against Minnesota, posting a season-high 35 points on 14-of-18 shooting from the field. He also set a season-high with four makes from 3-point range, carrying Boston’s offense for the final three quarters after missing his first two shots of the game. Four other Celtics scored in double figures but none of them added more than 16 points as Hayward proved to be the difference in holding off a Minnesota rally in the second half.

First Half Notes

• Terry Rozier starts the game on fire, going 5-on-5 from the field in the first quarter with a few nice attacks of the rim for a team-high 11 points.


• Some steady defens early by Al Horford on Karl-Anthony Towns, who was forced into some tough shots outside of the paint.


• C's rebounding has benne terrific in the first few minutes with zero offensive rebounds through the opening 16 minutes of the game.


• Guerschon Yabusele first one off the bench ahead of Daniel Theis. He looks solid in six quick minutes matching up against primarily Towns. He also hit a post up and turned over the ball once. Adequate minutes which the C's will take at this point.


• Hayward continues to have trouble getting into the paint, failing to turn the corner against Anthony Tolliver in isolation situations.


• More productive minutes for Jaylen Brown off the bench, carrying a bench unit that consisted of Smart, Ojeleye, Theis and Hayward.


• C's open up the second quarter with a 22-6 run, thanks to some terrific passing from Smart (six assists) and timely 3-point shooting from the bench.


• Semi Ojeleye with some of his best minutes in weeks, getting a chance over Ojeleye on a night where C's backcourt is shorthanded.

• Brad Stevens indicated that Irving could miss time beyond Wednesday night with his eye issue and will undergo a re-evaluation on Thursday. The Celtics have gone 19-3 without him in games at the TD Garden over the past two seasons.


• Robert Williams remains sidelined due to a strained groin and he is unlikely to play for the remainder of the week. Without him, it will be a tall test for Al Horford, Daniel Theis and Guerschon Yabusele to contain All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns with Horford on a minutes limit (25). Towns is coming off one of his best performances of the season in Minnesota's win in Miami on Monday night.


• The Celtics recalled two-way wing PJ Dozier back from the Maine Red Claws so they will have 12 active players on the bench tonight.


• The Wolves will be shorthanded on the perimeter as well in Boston with Derrick Rose, Jeff Teague and Robert Covington all ruled out due to injury. The C's should see a healthy dose of rookie Josh Okogie on the wing in their absence.