Gordon Hayward now wearing walking boot after gruesome injury

About suffering a gruesome injury in the season opener, Gordon Hayward has moved on from his protective cast to a walking boot and has reportedly practiced shooting from a chair.

Celtics head coach Brad Stevens made his weekly appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub on Wednesday and said the forward is beginning the early stages of rehab in a walking boot and his spirits are "really good," according to ESPN.com, after he fractured his left tibia and dislocated his ankle less than six minutes into the Celtics' season when they lost to the Cavaliers on Oct. 17.

Hayward's agent Mark Bartelstein believed a return for the 27-year-old this season would be "very unlikely" after undergoing surgery. With no predicted timetable for his coming back, Celtics fans can at least hope to hear for more good news from Hayward himself, who is expected to address the media on Thursday for the first time since the injury.

In his absence, the Celtics are still tied for first place in the Eastern Conference with the Orlando Magic at 5-2, with contributions from the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown at the small-forward spot.