Sports

Gordon Hayward expected to miss 6 weeks after surgery on fractured hand

Boston Celtics' Gordon Hayward (20) talks to teammate Kemba Walker during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in San Antonio. Boston won 135-115. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

BOSTON — Boston Celtics F Gordon Hayward had successful surgery Monday afternoon to repair his fractured left hand, the team confirmed in a series of tweets. He is expected to miss the next six weeks of the Celtics' season.

Adrian Wojanrowski, an NBA reporter for ESPN, originally reported news of Hayward's surgery, citing the player's agent, Mark Bartelstein. His report came just after 3:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon.

Hayward broke his left hand in the Celtics 135-115 win over the San Antonio Spurs Saturday night after running into a LaMarcus Aldridge screen in the second quarter.

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The team tweeted out on Monday that Hayward's surgery was scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.

The 29-year-old was playing in his eighth game of the 2019-2020 season and was averaging 18.9 points per game - though that number went down from 20.3 points per game after he recorded just 9 points before the injury in Saturday's game. Both averages are his highest as a Celtic.

Hayward missed nearly all of the 2017-2018 season after breaking his ankle in the first six minutes of the team's season opener against Cleveland.

The Celtics (7-1) will take on the Dallas Mavericks (6-3) Monday night at Boston's TD Garden at 7:30 p.m.