Daddy's home: Gordon Hayward aids Game 3 win, plans to stay in bubble

Gordon Hayward's time in Boston has been defined by the amount of games he’s missed but, on a night where the Celtics absolutely needed a win to keep alive hopes of playing on a title stage, Hayward returned to the court after a month absence and stabilized this team.

Despite limited on-court work coming back from a grade III ankle sprain, Hayward logged 30 minutes, 30 seconds of floor time in Saturday’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. If you simply glanced at his stat line — 6 points on 2-of-7 shooting — you might be underwhelmed and yet Hayward routinely produced key moments that helped the Celtics fend off all of Miami’s charges en route to a 117-106 triumph.

“He is a stabilizing force for our team,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. "He just can make the right play and make a play for somebody else at the right time. And he hit the big three as they were making a run.

"So I think he makes us better, that's for sure.”

Hayward has message for C's fans after Game 3 return
It’ll get lost in the shuffle with Miami’s second-half surge but there was one play in the first half that best encapsulated Hayward’s presence. The Celtics had watched a 13-point lead dwindle to 3 and were in danger of allowing a double-digit lead to evaporate for the third time in as many games. Jae Crowder missed a 3-pointer that could have tied the game with under three minutes to play in the second quarter and Hayward snagged the rebound.
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