Given his layoff from the game, it would be unreasonable to expect Gordon Hayward not to run into some roadblocks this season.
The Boston Celtics star is easing his way back into things after missing all but a few minutes of last campaign with a gruesome leg injury suffered on Opening Night.
Understandably, his body still is getting acclimated to the grind of the NBA again, and he admitted to reporters Wednesday afternoon that he has been dealing with back pain, but that it shouldn’t impede him from playing in games.
“That’s what made me feel like I needed to dial it back a little bit,” Hayward said of lingering soreness, via ESPN. “In the past, it’s bothered me but always calmed down and was fine with treatments and stuff. But this time it was getting worse, especially after playing.”
“I have found out that is going to be a process because of not playing for so long,” Hayward added. “The rest of my body has to readjust to playing.”
The Celtics open up their regular season Oct. 16 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
