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SPORTS Thursday 19 OcTOber 2017
Hayward suffers gruesome injury,

Celtics lose opener 102-99

By TOM WITHERS perstar also fed Kevin Love Hope for a speedy recov-
AP Sports Writer for a critical 3-pointer with ery, a healthy recovery,”
CLEVELAND (AP) — Gor- 46.3 seconds left to put the James said. “Those are the
don Hayward’s face was Cavs up 102-98. injuries that you never see
etched in pain and shock. Irving, who asked to be coming, you never want to
Of all the juicy subplots traded this summer after happen, no matter who it
for this hyped homecom- six seasons in Cleveland, is, no matter what the stat-
ing and a season opener had a chance to tie it with ure, no matter how much
between heated rivals, a a 3-pointer at the horn competitive nature that
serious injury to Hayward but his shot was short. As you have. It’s just very un-
wasn’t on the list. the crowd exhaled, Irving fortunate.”
Boston’s season changed shared a warm handshake Hayward’s injury changed
in a gruesome instant Tues- and embrace with James, the tenor of the highly an-
day night. his teammate for three ticipated matchup, and
Hayward, one of the new seasons and the one he will alter the direction of
Celtics who was going to wanted to get away from Boston’s season. Hayward
help them close the gap by demanding a trade this will require surgery and
on Cleveland, broke his left summer. need months to recover.
ankle just five minutes into Jaylen Brown scored 25 Stevens said Hayward will
his debut, and Boston was and Irving 22 and 10 assists be taken directly to the
beaten 102-99 on Tuesday for the Celtics, who over- hospital in Boston once the
night by LeBron James and came an 18-point deficit in Celtics’ plane lands
the Cavaliers. the third and led with 2:04 The Celtics were under-
Hayward’s horrific injury left. standably shaken at half-
overshadowed Kyrie Ir- Hayward, who signed a time, and went to the lock-
ving’s return to Cleveland four-year, $128 million free er room down 16. Boston Celtics’ Gordon Hayward (20) falls as Cleveland Cava-
and re-directed Boston’s agent contract with the However, they battled liers’ LeBron James (23) reaches for a loose ball in the first half of
immediate future and po- Celtics this summer, was back and were still leading an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, in Cleveland.
tential. bumped by James while 98-97 when James, who Hayward broke his left ankle on a play.
After the 27-year-old was trying to catch an alley- only played in one exhibi- two late chances but both He may still have a ways to
wheeled from Quicken oop pass with 6:45 left in the tion after spraining his an- Brown and Irving missed go with Cleveland’s crowd,
Loans Arena on a stretcher first quarter. The forward’s kle on Sept. 27, spun in the late 3s. which booed him every
, offering a thumbs-up on leg got twisted underneath lane and made a layup to Love had 15 and Derrick time he touched the ball.
his way to the ambulance, him as he came back to put Cleveland up by one. Rose 14 in his debut for the Irving heard it from the mo-
the Celtics rallied but came the floor and snapped his On Boston’s next posses- Cavs, who are trying to ment he took the floor as
up short. ankle grotesquely, his foot sion, James cut off Marcus blend new faces and big Cleveland fans got their
The outcome, though, pointing awkwardly to one Smart and deflected the egos quickly.“We’ve got first chance to voice their
hardly mattered. side. ball off the guard’s leg and some things we need to fig- displeasure toward him for
“You hurt for him,” Celtics The 27-year-old sat up, out of bounds. ure out,” James said. “It’s a demanding to be traded
coach Brad Stevens said of looked at his foot and James then made a cross- work in progress, for sure.” this summer despite three
Hayward, his former star at yelled while some players court pass to a wide-open After the final horn, James consecutive trips to the
Butler. “It’s a tough, tough covered their mouths and Love, who drained his 3 to and Irving, who spent part NBA Finals and one title.
deal, but I guess that’s part others turned their heads. give the Cavs a four-point of the summer making “It’s a really hard game for
of the risk of injury. I really James said seeing Hay- cushion. subtle jabs at each other a guy to play, especially
feel for him.” ward get hurt reminded “I just found a familiar face following the blockbuster the first game of the sea-
James scored 29 points — him of grisly injuries to Paul and Kevin was in the right trade, completed their sig- son with all the emotion
13 in the fourth quarter — in George, Shaun Livingston place at the right time,” nature handshake and the you have to go through,”
his most extensive action in and Louisville’s Kevin Ware. James said. All-Star point guard greet- Stevens said. “How he can
three weeks because of a “My thoughts and prayers Irving’s free throw made it ed several former team- play at that level is beyond
sprained left ankle. The su- go out to Gordon’s family. 102-99, and the Celtics had mates. me.”q
Michael Jordan scores again, this time with his Jumpman logo

By STEVE REED team to wear the Jordan the way he competed and edge as he can working marketability doesn’t seem
AP Sports Writer Brand “Jumpman” logo on the way he carries himself.” with Jordan. to be tapering off.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Mi- their uniforms this season. Especially off the court. The reigning league MVP Forbes Magazine estimat-
chael Jordan is showing he That would appear to be a There isn’t a player in the said he’s tried to use what ed last December that Jor-
still has the ability to score merchandising windfall. league who doesn’t want Jordan has done with mar- dan has made $1.7 billion
big — even though he After the switch from Adi- to emulate the NBA’s keting skills as a model for since leaving the University
hasn’t played in nearly 15 das, the other 29 NBA greatest pitchman. his own success. of North Carolina in 1984
years. teams will wear the Nike Though Jordan was not “He set himself up, not just — more than any athlete
The Hornets owner’s lat- “swoosh” on their uniforms. made available to be inter- on the basketball court, ever.
est slam dunk off the court Charlotte’s All-Star point viewed for this story, others but in business,” Westbrook The vast majority of his
might come by way of the guard Kemba Walker loves praised his savvy and lon- said. “.... He set himself up wealth has come from
NBA’s new uniform con- the idea of the Hornets be- gevity. tremendously — his kids, marketing, since Jordan
tract with Nike. ing unique — and knows it’s Oklahoma City guard Rus- his family — by doing the earned $93 million during
Since the Jordan Brand is because of Jordan. sell Westbook is a represen- right things on and off the his playing career.
a Nike subsidiary and the “I mean, he’s the GOAT tative for the Jordan Brand, court.” It’s all led to Jordan being
namesake of the six-time (Greatest of All Time),” which sponsors 21 active Jordan last soared through able to call his own shots
NBA champion, the Hor- Walker said. “Everybody NBA players. Westbrook is the air in the NBA in 2003. — like exclusive use of the
nets will be the only NBA loves MJ. Everybody loves soaking up as much knowl- But even now, at 54, his Jumpman logo.q