Gordon Hayward suffers gruesome ankle injury during first quarter

CLEVELAND– The Cavaliers and Celtics are facing off tonight in the first game of the 2017-18 NBA season.

With just under seven minutes to play in the first quarter, however, Boston’s Gordon Hayward went down with a gruesome injury to his left ankle.

After medical examination, the Celtics announced that Hayward suffered a fracture.

As Hayward was trying to catch and finish a lob pass for an alley-oop, he landed wrong after colliding with LeBron James mid-air. Hayward and laid on the floor as the Boston training staff came to his aid. His left foot was clearly pointed in an unnatural direction.

Hayward was removed from the court on a stretcher and with his leg in an air cast. Fans gave Hayward a standing ovation as he was taken off the court.