Ouch ouch ouch, that’s the kind of news you never like to hear. Gordon Hayward, returned less than a week ago after more than a month and a half of absence, is… already far from the parquet floors, the fault of a left foot which is still acting up. A few days before the play-in which will see the Hornets move to Atlanta, Charlotte would have done well without it.
We told you about it a few days ago, that things sometimes go very quickly. Returning from several weeks of injury themselves preceded by several weeks of injury themselves preceded by… in short, Gordon Hayward was welcomed as a reinforcement of weight for the Hornets. Yes, a few days before the play-in, a boy who turns 15.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists is not the kind of luxury we deprive ourselves of.. However, what we also explained to you was the difficult balance that Charlotte had to find between having her winger play to help the group and allowing him to be in the correct position on the eve of a crucial play-in for the guys from North Carolina. The news fell via The Athletic and she smells of milk forgotten a little too long in the back of the fridge: serious discomfort in Gordon’s left foot, indefinite absence (therefore play-in included), and first assessment of his physical situation within… two weeks, in other words that his chances of playing again this season are very slim.
The Hornets will not have Gordon Hayward in the Play-In Tournament as he is out indefinitely with continued discomfort in his left foot, the team announced on Sunday.
He will have a cast put on to immobilize his foot and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.https://t.co/oSOpu18jHe
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) April 10, 2022
Thus, we are approaching all wrong for the Hornets: not only are they, at the time of writing, tenth from the East and therefore forced to move and win twice to see the color of the Playoffs , on the other because Gordon is injured and coach James Borrego loses one of his most important potential lieutenants. It is hard to imagine, in the current situation, the Hornets extricating themselves from a possible obstacle course next week, but for all that, we must also put things into perspective, bearing in mind that Gordon Hayward is “only” 49 games played this season. What does it mean ? Quite simply that LaMelo and company have by force of circumstances had to compose almost half of the regular without him.
Bad luck for Charlotte. The Hornets knew the risks associated with Hayward’s body and so they acted knowingly. Since the certainties of yesterday are not those of today, it will therefore be without the wick that it will be necessary to compose during the play-in. Courage the Hornets, and all-in on the highlights machines.
Source texte : The Athletic