NBA Regular Season: Utah Jazz (4-5) @ Philadelphia 76ers (4-4) -- Player Focus Gordon Hayward

NBA Regular Season 2012-2013, Game 10:

Utah Jazz (4-5) @ Philadelphia 76ers (4-4)

#UTAatPHI Game Stream -- Liberty Ballers (SB Nation Blog) -- Jazz vs 76ers coverage

Player Focus: Gordon Hayward

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In his entire career, there are only 8 teams in the league that Gordon Hayward averages double digit scoring against. In his entire career, there are only 3 teams in the league that Gordon Hayward averages 30 or more minutes per game against. In both cases Philly is one. Against the Sixers Hayward straight up causes havoc. I guess he's supposed to be over matched physically, athletically, and in pure talent when he goes up against the Andre Iguodala / Evan Turner / Andrews Nocioni / Thaddeus Young types of the world. If you're a Philly fan it must such to know that in those cases our own Precious steps up.

He's under rated athletically, defensively, and overall. People see him guarding them and then "I can take this guy". The truth is that they get taken to school. Hayward is shooting 63.2 / 66.7 / 1.000 against them. He's also doing his part on the boards and with times, while also nearly averaging 2 combined blocks and steals per game. But it's not the stuff that shows up on the boxscore that matters here. It's the fact that he kills it on defense causing his opponents to miss shots and make mistakes.

Hayward kills it in Philly. And I'd love to see him do it again tonight.