Boston Celtics: 2 “boom or bust” candidates in the Disney bubble

Gordon Hayward

The ultimate X-factor for the Boston Celtics since the day he signed with the franchise has been Gordon Hayward. If he was to ever live up to his contract year production with the Utah Jazz, the thought was that the C’s could be true title contenders.

Unfortunately, the only postseason where the team looked like they could make a finals run was one in which the max-contract star was on the disabled list. This year is Hayward’s chance to rewrite that narrative.

While it was already announced that Hayward would miss time if the team were to still be playing when his wife is due with their fourth child, there is still plenty of time before then for the team to catch the Toronto Raptors for the #2 seed in the east and secure whatever a homecourt advantage would be in the bubble.

Remember, Hayward disappointed last postseason. He failed to reach double-digit scoring in three games of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Milwaukee Bucks and had one breakout game the whole playoffs, a game four sweep securing victory in Indiana.

A peak Hayward changes the trajectory of the playoffs for the C’s. Let’s hope he can provide that as long as he is in a Celtics uniform in the bubble.