Update: Charlotte Hornet Gordon Hayward (hip strain) now doubtful vs. Toronto Raptors
The Charlotte Hornets now list small forward Gordon Hayward (left hip strain) as doubtful to play in Thursday’s game against the Toronto Raptors.
Hayward, the Hornets’ leading scorer, injured his hip in the second half of Wednesday’s home loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Thursday morning the Hornets listed Hayward as probable to play, then downgraded him at 5:30 p.m., before the 7:30 tip-off in Tampa.
The Raptors are playing home games at Tampa’s Amalie Arena this season due to pandemic-related travel restrictions in Canada.
A hip strain is when one of the muscles supporting a hip is “stretched beyond its limit or torn,” according to a description on the OrthoInfo website. It’s typically a sports-related injury treated with rest, icing, compression and elevation.
Hayward, a former All-Star, signed a $120 million, 4-year contract to play for the Hornets, becoming arguably the biggest free-agent acquisition in franchise history. He is averaging 22 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists through 12 games.
This is the second injury of Hayward’s season. He suffered a fractured right pinkie finger in the preseason, but hasn’t missed a regular-season game.
This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 11:29 AM.
