Two seasons after a devastating ankle injury sidelined Gordon Hayward for an entire season, the Celtics’ forward is finally showing Boston fans what he can do after signing as a premier free agent in 2017. Hayward has started the 2019-20 on a tear after a healthy offseason that was full of training.

Hayward is averaging 20.3 points per game thus far this season, which would be his highest total since his lone All-Star campaign with the Utah Jazz in the 2016-17 season. Hayward has been playing so well that Paul Pierce believes his play elevates the Celtics to a contender in the East.

“If (Hayward) is going to play at All-Star form and he’s going to continue to be this consistent, you’ve got to put the Celtics in contending mode in the Eastern Conference. You have to,” Pierce said. “If he’s playing that well, you’ve got (Jayson) Tatum playing well, and you’ve got Kemba Walker.”