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NBA Capsules: Gordon Hayward suffers gruesome injury, Celtics lose opener 102-99

Boston Celtics’ Gordon Hayward grimaces in pain in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, in Cleveland. Just five minutes into his Boston career, new Celtics star forward Gordon Hayward gruesomely broke his left ankle, an injury that may end his season. (Tony Dejak / Associated Press)
Associated Press

CLEVELAND – Boston’s Gordon Hayward broke his left ankle just five minutes into the season, a grisly injury that overshadowed Kyrie Irving’s return to Cleveland and the Cavaliers’ 102-99 win over the shocked Celtics on Tuesday night.

LeBron James scored 29 points – 13 in the fourth quarter – in his most extensive action in three weeks because of a sprained left ankle. He also fed Kevin Love for a critical 3-pointer with 46.3 second left to put the Cavs up 102-98.

Irving, who asked to be traded this summer after six seasons in Cleveland, had a chance to tie it with a 3-pointer at the horn but missed. Irving then shared a warm embrace with James, his teammate for three seasons.

Irving finished with 22 points for the Celtics, who overcame an 18-point deficit in the third and led with 2:04 left.

Love had 15 and Derrick Rose 14 in his debut for the Cavs.

Hayward, who signed a four-year, $128 million free agent contract with the Celtics this summer, was bumped by James while trying to catch an alley-oop pass with 6:45 left in the first quarter. The forward’s leg got twisted underneath him as he came back to the floor and snapped his ankle grotesquely.

The 27-year-old sat up, looked at his foot and yelled in horror while some players covered their mouths and others turned their heads.

Hayward’s stunning injury changed the tenor of the highly anticipated season opener between two of the league’s best teams, and will likely alter the direction of Boston’s season. Hayward will require surgery and need months to recover.

“You hurt for him,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said of Hayward, his former star at Butler. “It’s a tough, tough deal, but I guess that’s part of the risk of injury. I really feel for him.”

Rockets 122, Warriors 121

OAKLAND, Calif. – Kevin Durant’s baseline jumper swished through the net just barely too late, and the Rockets rallied in the fourth to beat Golden State on the night the Warriors received their championship rings.

The Warriors had one last chance with 10.6 seconds left and Durant came up with the ball after Stephen Curry had missed. Durant and the Warriors thought they’d won and confetti began to fall when the two remaining officials – the third got hurt in the fourth quarter – reviewed the play and said Durant’s shot was after the buzzer.

Trevor Ariza’s 3-pointer with 2:09 remaining pulled Houston within 119-118 then Patrick McCaw hit a baseline jumper immediately after Golden State’s timeout. James Harden made a layup and PJ Tucker hit two free throws with 44.1 to make it 122-121.

Nick Young came off the bench to hit six 3-pointers and score 23 points in a brilliant Warriors debut, Curry scored 22 points and Durant had 20 after a slow start. Klay Thompson added 16 points.

Chris Paul had four points on 2-for-9 shooting in his Rockets debut, while Harden scored 27 points and Eric Gordon 24 for the Rockets. Houston opened the fourth with a 9-0 run to get back in it.