Celtics Championship Odds Fall to +1600 as Gordon Hayward Out at Least Four Weeks With Grade 3 Ankle Sprain

• Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward will miss approximately four weeks with a Grade III ankle sprain
• The Celtics title odds and odds to win the Eastern Conference both took a hit with the news
• Boston was 14-6 this season when Hayward was out of the lineup; see updated title odds below

Assessing which has worse luck between Gordon Hayward and the Boston Celtics might be a tough call. Hayward, the talented but hard-luck Celtics forward, is once again idled.

The Celtics confirmed published reports that Hayward suffered a Grade III sprain to his right ankle on Monday in Game 1 of their first round playoff series with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Immediately, there was movement in Boston’s betting line in the 2020 NBA Championship odds. The Celtics’ odds lengthened from +1300 to +1600.  Their Eastern Conference odds also lengthened from +500 to +650, according to PointsBet.

2020 NBA Championship Odds

Odds as of Aug. 18th.

Boston posted a 14-6 record this season when Hayward was out of the lineup.

Hard Luck Hayward

Late in the action during Boston’s 109-101 Game 1 victory over the Sixers, Hayward stepped on the foot of teammate Daniel Theis while battling for a rebound and went down to the floor in obvious pain.

According to medical experts, a Grade III ankle sprain involves a complete tear of the affected ligament(s) with severe swelling and bruising.  The ankle is very unstable and walking is not a possibility.

#NEBHInjuryReport Celtics forward @gordonhayward suffered a Grade III sprain of his right ankle during the fourth quarter of last night’s game against Philadelphia. He is expected to miss approximately four weeks.

Further updates will be provided as appropriate.

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) August 18, 2020

And yet it’s not even close to the worst injury Hayward has ever suffered. After signing a four-year, $128-million free-agent deal with the Celtics in 2017, Hayward was severely injured six minutes into his Boston debut.

Hayward suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle in his left leg less than six minutes into the Celtics’ regular-season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He landed awkwardly after leaping for an alley-oop pass from Kyrie Irving.

Just spotted Gordon Hayward walking into the Celtics meal room. On crutches. A boot on his right foot/ankle. Putting no pressure on it.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) August 18, 2020

He missed the remainder of the 2017-18 NBA season and was forced to undergo a second surgery to further correct the damage in March of 2018.

This season, Hayward suffered a broken left hand in a Nov. 9th game against the San Antonio Spurs. He was out of action for a month.

No Worries for Celtics . . . Yet

With or without Hayward, the 76ers shouldn’t pose a serious problem for Boston to dispatch. Philadelphia is also absent a key component from its rotation in Ben Simmons.

The odds reflect this line of thinking. The Celtics remain the -750 chalk to close out the Sixers.

Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown can pick up the slack for the injured Hayward and still easily polish off the 76ers. It’s after this series that things begin to get dicey for Boston.

https://twitter.com/Tatum_Brown_inc/status/1295804956293947392?s=20

The NBA Eastern Conference final is slated to get underway Sept. 15th. That’s about four weeks away, right in the wheelhouse of Hayward’s projected return to action. But can his teammates get there without him?

The defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors are most likely to be standing in Boston’s way in Round 2. The Raptors possess the kind of depth that would make them a tough out for the Celtics with or without a healthy Hayward.

Smart Service

How good is Hayward? He averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this season, while shooting 50% from the field. The only other Celtic to average 17/6/4 on 50% shooting in a season was a fellow named Larry Bird.

Hayward brings so much to the floor. He’s a steady, reliable presence on the wing. His versatilty and ability to fill so many roles also can’t be replaced.

https://youtu.be/do0X_in9JMs

Hayward can handle the ball and run the offense. He can drift out beyond the arc and knock down threes.

Boston can get by for a time without Hayward. Sixth man Marcus Smart is capable of playing starting minutes. He won’t put up Hayward numbers but he’ll be a solid contributor if Boston opts to go with a three-guard lineup.

When Hayward was injured in November, Celtics coach Brad Stevens rotated a committee of Grant Williams, Brad Wanamaker, Javonte Green, Semi Ojeleye and Romeo Langford to help fill the void.

Won’t Be Boston’s Year

A question to those Boston bettors who are injuring more ankles than Hayward jumping off the Celtics’ bandwagon – how far did you think this ride would last?

"He's that valuable. He's that much of a difference-maker."

On a new #Celtics Talk Podcast, @ASherrodblakely, @ChrisForsberg_ and @KyleDraperTV reassess Boston's playoff ceiling after Gordon Hayward's ankle injury:https://t.co/uAgpwqlS2z pic.twitter.com/yzXBYPvOdg

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) August 18, 2020

A healthy Boston team could give Toronto a run for the money. The Celtics were 3-1 against the Raptors this season. But they were 1-2 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Boston split 1-1 with both the Lakers and Celtics.

Currently, the Houston Rockets are given better odds of winning the NBA Finals that Boston. When the bookies think you’ve got less chance at a title than the Rockets, your city won’t be planning any championship parade routes.