Boston Celtics wing Gordon Hayward knows what Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert experienced Monday night after his gruesome ankle injury.
LeVert came down awkwardly on his right ankle on Monday evening and suffered an ankle dislocation. The ugly injury was similar to Hayward's, when he fractured his tibia and dislocated his ankle on Opening Night against Cleveland in 2017.
Best wishes and prayers to @CarisLeVert on a speedy recovery! The journey back is hard, but you'll be stronger in the end. Please reach out if you need anything!
-- Gordon Hayward (@gordonhayward) November 13, 2018
Hayward is still working his way back to his former self, but he has looked increasingly comfortable and confident over the first few weeks of the season. As the season progresses, the Celtics expect to see more and more.
LeVert was having a breakout season for the Nets, posting 18 points and nearly four assists per game. The good news for Brooklyn: According to multiple reports, there's optimism within the organization that LeVert might be able to return for this season, which is much better than most expected seeing LeVert's injury live (it's available online if you want to Google it, but we won't embed it here).
Celtics fans hoped Hayward might have a similar return to action last season given how early he got hurt, but the organization was relatively clear from the start that they didn't expect him to return before 2018-19.