Boston Celtics: 3 replacements for Gordon Hayward in the starting lineup

Replacement for Hayward No. 3) Marcus Smart

When in doubt, roll Marcus Smart out!

The Swiss Army man himself is always a prime candidate to replace a player in the starting lineup — even centers. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that we believe Smart is the most likely replacement for Gordon Hayward in the starting-five.

Heck, when the forward initially got hurt in game-one, Marcus Smart was the immediate replacement that Brad Stevens ran to, so why would things be any different moving forward?

the 26-year-old wing is having himself one of his best seasons as a pro in 2019-20. Averaging 12.9 points, 4.9 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and half a block on 35 percent shooting from deep, he has easily been one of the C’s most consistent contributors.

And, in the starting lineup, he has continued to show how effective he can be.

Starting in 40 games this season — show how hobbled Boston has been all season — Smart has found himself putting up 14.4 points, 5.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals a night on 35 percent shooting from deep.

Without any second thought, Marcus Smart should be seen as the likely candidate to replace Hayward in the first-five as the forward stays sidelined for the next month.