Robert Williams takes step forward for Celtics with increased workload against Knicks: ‘It’s what I’ve been wanting’

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/10/robert-williams-takes-step-forward-for-celtics-with-increased-workload-against-knicks-its-what-ive-been-wanting.html



Robert Williams takes step forward for Celtics with increased workload against Knicks: ‘It’s what I’ve been wanting’



Updated: Oct. 21, 2021, 7:24 a.m. | Published: Oct. 21, 2021, 7:24 a.m.




Boston Celtics' Robert Williams III looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, in Philadelphia. The 76ers won 107-93. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)AP


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



Robert Williams entered Wednesday’s regular season opener against the New York Knicks having only played a career-high 32 minutes in an injury-riddled first three seasons.

The 24-year-old had been largely protected against bigger minutes by Boston’s training and coaching staff during the beginning of his career as he struggled to keep himself available for the grind of 82 games. Those injury question marks did not impact Brad Stevens’ belief in the potential of the emerging center, however, as the team rewarded him with a four-year extension this offseason as a bet on his upside.


The bigger deal comes with added pressure for production however and the need was there early almost immediately in the Celtics opening night matchup. With Al Horford sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19, Ime Udoka elected not to play a single big off his bench, instead going with a rotation of Williams and Grant Williams at center for all 58 minutes of the double-overtime thriller.


The end result? Rob Williams playing 45 minutes, crushing his previous career-high by nearly 33 percent.

“As far as the 45 minutes it’s what I’ve been wanting, right?  Williams said after the defeat. “So mentally I was ready, prepared for a third overtime if that was the case. But it’s for sure something I’ve been wanting, so I’m ready.”

While several of his Celtics teammates were clearly struggling with fatigue as the night wore on, Williams was very productive with the heavier minutes load, posting 16 points, 10 rebounds 5 blocks, 3 assists and 3 steals while committing just one personal foul over his 45 minutes. Williams also made all five of his field goal attempts and went a team-best 6-of-8 from the free throw line, embracing the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden.


“It’s the thrill,” Williams said. “Obviously, being at the Garden makes it five times more special. Just the thrill and the fight. Both teams are tired. You want to go at each other. I wouldn’t ask to be in any other situation.”

While the Celtics couldn’t ask for much more from Williams from a production standpoint, there was plenty of work that needed to be done involving him on the defensive end. Evan Fournier lit up Boston during both overtimes from the perimeter in several screening actions that involved Williams, leaving the Celtics unable to recover in time to contest properly. However, Udoka did not point the finger at Williams after the game for those issues.

“We switched from switching everything to switching one through four,” Udoka explained. “And guys got a little confused going under expecting Rob to switch out. Changing our coverage in overtime and the fourth quarter we wanted to keep Rob on Julius Randle, and some of our guys just messed up the coverage. Have to be more communicative when we switch it up late in the game. Knew we made a few mistakes that kept them in the game in the first overtime.”


Fournier ended up scoring 12 of his 32 points in overtime thanks to those mistakes.

“We just were not doing our coverages right, not completing coverages coach called for us,” Williams admitted. “Obviously let them get two or three 3s and they got going. So that’s something we’ve got to clean up.”

The burden on Williams likely won’t be as heavy moving forward once Al Horford is cleared to return to the lineup. However, the defensive struggles of a fatigued lineup on the perimeter with Williams in the fold was a telling lesson for Ime Udoka and his staff as they attempt to debate using Williams against Horford in those pivotal situations moving forward.

From a big picture perspective, it was a positive night for Williams and his ability to stay on the floor (one personal foul) for key stretches with great effort. That stood out to Boston’s new head coach despite the game slipping away.


“We played hard as hell,” he said. “Execution-wise, we let them back in the game twice. You don’t want to give up a double-digit lead. But to work our way back from a double-digit lead, that’s the effort we put in, no question. Like I mentioned, fatigued a little bit late, especially for the first game back playing those heavy minutes. But effort was there, just missed some open shots. Like I said, in preseason, our first game against Orlando, we missed a ton and came back against Toronto. I feel like if we have those same looks, we’ll do the same thing next time and make those shots.”


Bob


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