MILWAUKEE -- Gordon Hayward headed into the All-Star break playing some of his best basketball in years, but a game of 1-on-1 with Semi Ojeleye on Tuesday may put that progress on hold against the Bucks on Thursday night. Brad Stevens said on Wednesday that the swingman did not take part in practice, and remained questionable for the nationally televised matchup on Thursday night.
"Gordon is day to day," Stevens said."He did a little bit more than they thought he would do, just moving up and down the court. He did not practice. So he did not go live. He worked with our trainers during practice."
Stevens also had some fun explaining how the injury occurred on Hayward's non-surgically repaired ankle.
"He was playing 1-on-1, twisted his ankle," he explained. "Semi said he made an unbelievable move and Gordon bit — can’t bite on Semi’s moves — and twisted his ankle. Unfortunate because Gordon, really, he was coming off good games and was here the whole time. He was in the gym pretty frequently. But it won’t be long. If he doesn’t play tomorrow, it won’t be long."
The news was not as good with big man Aron Baynes though, who traveled with the team to Milwaukee but did not practice. He has missed the last two-plus weeks with a bruised foot and has not been cleared for full contact yet by team trainers.
"He worked a couple of different times on the Alter G here over break, and he’s just not up to the spot where they’re ready to clear him for practice activities yet," Stevens said.
Baynes will miss the entire three-game road trip (Milwaukee, Chicago, Toronto) that will sideline him for at least one more week. He's already missed six straight games with the left foot contusion and with Daniel Theis excelling in a reserve center role for the past couple of weeks, there's no need to rush the 32-year-old big man back.
Celtics react to Jaylen Brown being elected as a VP of NBPA
The 22-year-old was one of four players named to a three-year term as a vice president of the player's association over the weekend, an honor that did not surprise his head coach.
"First of all, Jaylen is a guy I think everybody around the league respects," Stevens said. "It's an honor to be selected for a position like that and when you're 22, it's an even bigger honor. I think he's a guy who puts in a lot of time and thought. Everybody knows that and you want somebody like that representing you. It's great for him. I'm very happy for him and I know that's stuff that he'll do good work with."
"He's young, he's smart, he understands the business," Kyrie Irving added. "He still has a long way to go of just understanding the CBA and what goes on in the business behind the scenes in the NBA and the Players' Association. I'm just happy for him that he's going to get that type of knowledge."
Brown joins Bismack Biyombo, Malcolm Brogdon and Andre Iguodala as other players elected to vice president posts on the executive committee.
The NBPA VPs will help guide the union with decision-making when it comes to the CBA. Each side can opt out of the current agreement in 2022.
Brad Stevens hones in on goals ahead for the second half
The Celtics finished out the pre-All-Star break on a high note with wins over the Sixers and Pistons without Irving, but there's still plenty of work to be done for this group to maximize their strengths in the second half. Stevens discussed specific goals he'll be working on for the next two months as the competition ramps up.
"You're always working on your connectivity as a team," Stevens said. "We've got to be even better with that. I think, defensively, we are great when we challenge everything. I know that's a vague way of saying it, but there are all kinds of ways that we can recognize that and see that on film in a solid way, without fouling. Offensively, I just want to hone in on our execution a little bit more. I thought we've had our moments. I think we've been a top-two or three offense since late-November. We've been good, but I think we can be better, especially from an execution standpoint."
Boston will be tested on that front immediately on Thursday night with the league's best team in Milwaukee awaiting them. With new addition Nikola Mirotic expected to be active for the first time, Irving knows the C's will have their hands full.
"They're the top team in the East," he said. "You know, it shows by the numbers. They've got an unbelievable great player on their team. Giannis is taking the league by storm. We’ve just got to do a great job of limiting him and limiting his points and opportunities. And Khris Middleton, as well, Eric Bledsoe at the point. So it'll be a great matchup. We always have great times playing against them. It's going to be a high-level game."