Robert Williams gets a reality check against Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers: ‘Rob’s got a lot to work on’

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/04/robert-williams-gets-a-reality-check-against-joel-embiid-philadelphia-76ers-robs-got-a-lot-to-work-on.html



Robert Williams gets a reality check against Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers: ‘Rob’s got a lot to work on’



Updated Apr 06, 2021; Posted Apr 06, 2021



Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, center, looks to pass while pressured by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, left, and center Robert Williams III, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, April 6, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)AP


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



Robert Williams had been thriving in the starting center role for the Boston Celtics since the trade deadline entering Tuesday’s showdown against the Philadelphia 76ers. However, throughout Williams’ career, Joel Embiid and company have been a nightmare matchup for the promising young big man. In fact, Brad Stevens removed Williams from Boston’s big man rotation against the Sixers in the team’s first round matchup last postseason after Boston’s athletic big man struggled to handle the MVP candidate defensively (Williams played just 21 minutes in four games).

The stakes weren’t nearly as high on Tuesday night but the pressure on Williams to produce was far greater with Boston’s center rotation looking razor thin behind him. Daniel Theis was sent packing to Chicago at the trade deadline and Tristan Thompson still hadn’t been cleared to return to the floor, leaving a host of fringe NBA centers (Luke Kornet, Mo Wagner, Tacko Fall) backing Williams up.

For the Celtics to have a chance against one of the NBA’s best teams and centers, they needed Williams to stay on the floor and out of foul trouble. He failed miserably in that regard, fouling out with nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter in Boston’s 108-98 home loss to the Sixers.

In what could only be described as a painful reality check for Williams, the third-year center showed why Stevens has hesitated to trust him in big spots against elite opponents throughout much of his career. While it’s no surprise that Williams struggled against Embiid’s strength in the post (something that’s the case for just about any center in the league), Williams’ lack of defensive discipline was more concerning.

He bit on pump fakes on the perimeter and made himself an easy target for cheap fouls on jump shot attempts on a night when the Celtics really couldn’t afford him to be watching from the sidelines. That constant foul trouble combined with three turnovers in 14 minutes set the tone for an ugly night on both ends for Boston for the final three quarters.

“Yeah Rob’s got a lot of work on but, he’s a guy that -- he’ll get better,” Brad Stevens said after the game. “I mean, I knew coming into the game that Rob, my biggest concern with Rob was him staying on the court. He’s got to get better with his hands as far as keeping his hands straight up, and those types of things, but you see Embiid’s got all the tricks, and he takes advantage of every little bump.”

Embiid has been a nightmare for the Celtics all season long, scoring a game-high 35 points and shooting 20 free throws alone on Tuesday night. On the season, he’s averaging 18.7 free throws per game against Boston, leading the Sixers to a season sweep of the Celtics after Tuesday’s win. Teams all across the league have struggled containing the big man this year as he puts together the most efficient scoring season of his career but Boston looks less equipped than ever to deal with the MVP candidate, particularly with Theis out of the picture as an option.

Tristan Thompson looked to be no match for Embiid in two head-to-head matchups earlier this season so with Williams’ struggles continuing in the matchup, it’s putting the Celtics in some nightmare situations defensively to combat his scoring ability all over the floor. Still on Tuesday night, the Celtics needed better awareness from Williams about the team’s situation with the lack of help behind him.

“(Embiid) did that to everybody on our team, not just Rob, but, if I had to guess, going into this game, Rob was probably gonna foul a few times in the first couple of minutes, which is just part of it,” Stevens said of Boston’s struggles. “As much as we talk about it prior to the game, and he knows it, it’s still different when you’re out there guarding.”

For all the potential that Williams brings to the table, nights like this will give the coaching staff some pause. There is a reason that Boston chased other bigger veteran like Andre Drummond after the trade deadline to provide the Celtics with some extra size and insurance for these types of matchups. For now, there are no appealing options are on the table for the team on the free agent market so it’s going to be on Williams, Thompson and company to put up a far better fight down low if these two teams see each other again this postseason.

In the meantime, Williams’ teammates want him to put this rough outing to the side as another big game in the East playoff race against the Knicks looms on Wednesday night for the Celtics at the Garden.

“We got another game tomorrow,” Tatum said of what he told Williams after the loss. “We all have tough nights, tough games where things didn’t necessarily go our way. Don’t get discouraged. We’ve all been there. I’ve been there plenty of times. But we got a game tomorrow. He’ll be ready.”


Bob
MY NOTE: Read your scouting reports, Rob, that's why they're given to you. Everybody knows that, if you reach on Embiid, he'll do a 'rip through' and get a whistle on you. The Time Lord did that several times and Embiid made him pay every time.


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The problem with the "rip through" is that it is not supposed to send the player to the line anymore. If we were over the limit, fine, but we were not.

Embiid already has a crazy advantage over everyone in the league. IMO, the refs were wrong to pile on.

That being said, I agree that Rob made some bad decisions and "made himself an easy target for cheap fouls on jump shot attempts".

Hopefully he doesn't get too down on himself and takes this as a learning experience.

I have no problem with RWIII last night.

Young player on the rise vs a top center in the league.

School was in session. This was just one extremely tough test in the education of Robert Williams, III.

Like the SAT, RWIII may get a better outcome when he re-takes this test.

Rob had a bad game. He’ll learn from this. Embiid has 50 pounds on him and destroys everyone who gets in his way. Every center, elite or no has been pummeled by Joel one time or another. Apparently the officials love him too and that doesn’t help.
Yes Rob could have made some better decisions and he will in the future. I’m not the bit concerned about him. I would like to see him add more muscle and bulk but he’s an entirely different type of player than Embiid. I like who we have. I believe he is mentally tough and will only get better from this.
Would like to see the team bring Perk or someone in to work with him.
Give the Lord some time and we’ll be fine!

Ktron wrote:Rob had a bad game. He’ll learn from this. Embiid has 50 pounds on him and destroys everyone who gets in his way. Every center, elite or no has been pummeled by Joel one time or another. Apparently the officials love him too and that doesn’t help.
Yes Rob could have made some better decisions and he will in the future. I’m not the bit concerned about him. I would like to see him add more muscle and bulk but he’s an entirely different type of player than Embiid. I like who we have. I believe he is mentally tough and will only get better from this.
Would like to see the team bring Perk or someone in to work with him.
Give the Lord some time and we’ll be fine!

Yes, good points. A true big-man coach could be a big plus.

Lessons to be learned. The biggest problem? No one there at all to back him up if he got in trouble. Thompson on the bench, but he cannot handle Embid, and the two new guys, way out of their league, in my opinion,,

After that, we had Tatum, not doing anything worthwhile. Trying to play one on one with whoever, Simmons, or who ever He made many bad decisions. Jaylen started out strong, then they put the pressure on him and he lost his touch. A bad night for Kemba. Just an all around lousy game by everyone. Romeo had flashes, which was promising. But he was not going to be a difference maker.

The free throw shooting difference, sending Embid to the line constantly made the game sickening to watch. But. and this kills me, give it to Doc, he has these guys all playing on the same page. Will it last? Who knows? They have a history of exploding

It was disappointing, but lets move on, the sky is not falling, somehow, someway, these Celtics have to get their act together before they find themselves on the outside looking in. This has been one ugly year for them. They lead the league in games missed for Covid. WHY????

Rob got in early foul trouble and was a bit too hyped up for the game.

RW has started a grand total of 10 games in his career.

I felt that in the Knicks game they did not run much offense through him and I think that was a big mistake. The ball does not stick in his hands and that is one reason why his touches are very important to the offensive flow on this team.