Gordon Hayward suffered a gruesome leg injury in the Boston Celtics' opener, but that did not keep him from firing up the fans at TD Garden on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old delivered a message to Celtics fans prior to Boston's home opener.
He spoke from his hospital bed where he is reportedly waiting to undergo surgery to repair a dislocated left ankle and fractured left tibia.
"I'm going to be all right," Hayward said.
"It hurt me that I can't be there at the home opener, I want nothing more than to be with my team-mates and walk out on that floor tonight, but I'll be supporting you guys from here and wishing you the best of luck. Go kill it tonight."
Hayward was injured in the first quarter of the Celtics' 102-99 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, when he went up for a pass and came down awkwardly on his leg after colliding with LeBron James.