Gordon Hayward agonisingly waits for treatment on his broken ankle. Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP.
Boston’s Gordon Hayward suffered a gruesome broken left ankle injury barely five minutes into the new NBA season Tuesday, overshadowing the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 102-99 victory in Kyrie Irving’s homecoming.
Hayward, the former Utah star who signed a four-year deal with the Celtics worth $128 million in the off-season, was stretchered off the court following a horrific injury that stunned players on both clubs.
Hayward landed hard 5:15 into the game after a leaping cut to the basket trying to catch an alley-oop pass from Irving, the ex-Cavaliers point guard who asked in the off-season to be traded and was sent to Boston.
Cleveland superstar LeBron James tried to break up the play.
Hayward, 27, was caught in the air and when he landed, his left leg twisted unnaturally, his ankle turned at a grotesque angle.
Boston teammates huddled, clearly shocked at the mishap, and the Cavaliers were taken aback as well, their home arena falling silent as doctors began examining Hayward.
A standing ovation followed when Hayward was stretchered off with his left leg immobilized from foot to thigh, sitting up on the stretcher as he was carried off.
After he was examined by medical staff of both teams, the Celtics said he had been diagnosed with a broken ankle and would be flown back to Boston after the game.
The injury cast a pall on the much-anticipated start to the NBA’s 72nd season.
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