This is an easy question to answer: they don’t. However, they can limit the damage done to their season. Gordon’s surgery went well last night, and although it was a gruesome injury, I think he’ll be available by the time the playoffs get here. Whether or not the Celtics play him is a different question, as he’ll probably spend the offseason building up strength in his leg and ankle. For now, though, it’s next man up.
JAYLEN BROWN
Jaylen Brown has been a nice surprise for the Celtics. The 20-year-old flashed signs of star potential last season, and he’s grown into his larger role very nicely. He’s been the Celtics’ leading scorer in each of their past two games. He’s a pesky defender on defense, but his discipline on that end of the floor needs some work. He fouled out against Milwaukee, logging only 28 minutes (while still ending the game as the Celtics’ points leader). He’s been too willing to bite on pump fakes and gets lost when playing post defense. If he’s to step into a leadership role on the floor, he’s going to have to improve there. He’s answered all of the questions about his shooting and he’s shown that his athletic ability translates to the pros, but he’ll have to be more disciplined on the defensive end of the floor. The Celtics have four players in the top five when it comes to personal fouls this year, three are in the top three, and Jaylen Brown is at the very top, with 11 so far this year. If he can clean up his game, he can be the answer for Boston.
JAYSON TATUM
Jayson Tatum has already seen a much larger role than most expected him to this year. He currently ranks 18th in the league in minutes played per game. That leads all rookies by a wide margin, with Ben Simmons checking in 11 spots below him at 29th. He came into the league as a polished scorer coming out of Duke, but his most valuable contribution so far has been with his rebounding. He’s been the Celtics’ leading rebounder in each of their last two games, but his offense hasn’t been eye-popping. He’s averaging 11 PPG and 2.5 APG. His length has helped him on the defensive side of the ball, and I think that his offensive stats will look a little better when he gets more comfortable in his new role in this offense.
MARCUS MORRIS
Marcus Morris came to Boston in the Avery Bradley trade that Boston made to make room for Gordon Hayward’s massive contract. He’s the only veteran wing left on this team, and he may defend Lebron better than anyone in the league. If the two aforementioned young wings don’t come along like the Celtics need them too, we could very well see Marcus Morris play a much bigger role when the playoffs come around. He’s currently out with a minor injury, but he’s expected to be back in a week or so. He may have been traded for in order to make room for Hayward, but now he could be the Celtics’ answer in Hayward’s absence.
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