Aron Baynes start, Gordon Hayward off bench allows players to play ‘natural positions' on offense

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BOSTON – For the second straight game, the Boston Celtics’ starting five will not include Gordon Hayward.

Head coach Brad Stevens said he plans to stick with the same starting five he had in Boston’s 117-112 loss at Charlotte on Monday.

That lineup included Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown in the backcourt, joined by Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Aron Baynes who will make his second straight start in place of Hayward.

Stevens is well aware of the optics of having Baynes, an elite defender on arguably the best team defensively in the NBA, in the starting five instead of Hayward.

“There’s a lot of factors that go into those calls,” Stevens said. “If you look at our (defensive) rankings right now, you would say, ‘why would you start a defender if the first group is guarding great and the second group is guarding great?’

Stevens added, “It allows guys to play on offense in their more natural positions. There’s a comfort level to that. As we continue to try and grow and get to the best version of ourselves, we’re going to have to be able to play both ways. We’re gonna have to be able to play small; we’re gonna have to be able to play big.”

Against the Hornets, Baynes started but played just seven minutes – the fewest among the 10 players Stevens used against Charlotte.

And Hayward, coming off the bench for the first time since 2013, had four points on 1-for-6 shooting which was his worst shooting night this season.

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