October 17th of 2017 may prove to be one of the worst days in Celtics basketball history.
On what was supposed to be the beginning of a new era in Celtics history, everything went terribly wrong. Within the first 5 minutes of the game Gordon Hayward — the team’s star free agent signing — suffered a gruesome ankle injury.
Officially diagnosed as a fractured left tibia and a dislocated ankle, it truly was one of the most horrific injuries caught on national television.
The initial reaction following the injury was utter disbelief. In an instant, a season that many thought could possibly result in an NBA Finals berth became one with little to no hope. Without one of their superstars, how could the Celtics compete on regular basis?
The answer is simple — someone needed step-up,. However, with such a young team which player would be up to the task?
For the Celtics, instead of a singular player rising to the occasion, they have had several. In their first 4 games, different players have been thrust into the lineup and asked to provide a spark for the team. While it hasn’t always been pretty, the young Celtics are rising to the occasion.
DISCLAIMER: I realize that the C’s have had numerous breakthrough players during Hayward’s absence, but for the purpose of this article I’m going to focus on the top 3.
So, without further ado, these are the 3 players that have most improved since Hayward’s injury.