Report: New timeline for Robert Williams after PRP injection in knee

Report: New timeline for Robert Williams after PRP injection in knee

NBC SPORTS BOSTON /BY DARREN HARTWELL

CELTICS

We have another update on the Robert Williams injury front, and it's not exactly a positive one.W

Boston Celtics big man received a PRP injection in his knee Monday to promote healing after undergoing arthroscopic surgery in late September, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Tuesday.

According to Charania, the current plan is to have Williams return "at some point in the second half of the season."

"I'm told his hope is sometime in December or January, but it could even be later than that," Charania said on FanDuel TV's "Run It Back" show.


The Celtics originally announced that Williams was expected to return to basketball activities eight to 12 weeks after his surgery on Sept. 23. That timeline suggested an early-to-mid-December return, but now it appears we may not see Time Lord until 2023, as the halfway point of the regular season is Jan. 9.

Charania did add that Williams would "probably" be able to play right now if it was the postseason, and that the Celtics are proceeding with extreme caution to avoid rushing him back. As much as the C's want Williams back as soon as possible, that's a wise strategy, as it's more important that the talented big man is healthy for the regular season.

112288

112288 wrote:Report: New timeline for Robert Williams after PRP injection in knee

NBC SPORTS BOSTON /BY DARREN HARTWELL

CELTICS

We have another update on the Robert Williams injury front, and it's not exactly a positive one.W

Boston Celtics big man received a PRP injection in his knee Monday to promote healing after undergoing arthroscopic surgery in late September, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Tuesday.

According to Charania, the current plan is to have Williams return "at some point in the second half of the season."

"I'm told his hope is sometime in December or January, but it could even be later than that," Charania said on FanDuel TV's "Run It Back" show.


The Celtics originally announced that Williams was expected to return to basketball activities eight to 12 weeks after his surgery on Sept. 23. That timeline suggested an early-to-mid-December return, but now it appears we may not see Time Lord until 2023, as the halfway point of the regular season is Jan. 9.

Charania did add that Williams would "probably" be able to play right now if it was the postseason, and that the Celtics are proceeding with extreme caution to avoid rushing him back. As much as the C's want Williams back as soon as possible, that's a wise strategy, as it's more important that the talented big man is healthy for the regular season.

112288

This doesn't seem like great news. If they are trying PRP, an unapproved treatment with little non-anecdotal evidence of effectiveness, that makes me wonder if the knee is not responding like they hoped.

PRP, an experimental therapy may or may not be effective.  We do not know if Rob's issue is pain and/or related to loss of cartilage.  It may primarily be used to reduce pain and speed up his recovery.

I will remain in a wait and see mode. I guess I feel neutral. Not good news and not bad news.

worcester wrote:In any case, the Celts played great against a team with one of the two best big men in the NBA and won handily, even without Luke Kornet on the floor. Noah actually made important contributions. Encouraging. With a healthy Rob and roster overall we will be an AWESOME team. Also, Blake impressed me with his 5 rb in very few minutes as did Grant with his 15 points in very few minutes as well..

+1

worcester wrote:In any case, the Celts played great against a team with one of the two best big men in the NBA and won handily, even without Luke Kornet on the floor. Noah actually made important contributions. Encouraging. With a healthy Rob and roster overall we will be an AWESOME team. Also, Blake impressed me with his 5 rb in very few minutes as did Grant with his 15 points in very few minutes as well..

I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by Vonlah too, he might have finally found the right situation for him, ala Chauncey Billups. We don’t have to run plays for him, all he has to do is protect the rim and as much dirty work as possible. Hope Kabengele can eventually show us he’s capable of further helping the cause. Al and Blake mentoring these youngins can only help. Our energy and pace definitely wore on the Sixers, great defensive game plan usually doubling Embid with the closest J.

worcester wrote:Shamrock, here is all I know on the topic.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32060630/

Yes, this does not seem like great news, and there are several variations of PRP which affect outcomes. Who knows what Rob got. Six months is a more realistic time frame to expect fuller results, as they studies indicate.

Do you know of people or athletes that have used it and it helped their recovery? Recovery for normal people is different than athletes who are jumping every day.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

worcester wrote:Shamrock, here is all I know on the topic.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32060630/

Yes, this does not seem like great news, and there are several variations of PRP which affect outcomes. Who knows what Rob got. Six months is a more realistic time frame to expect fuller results, as they studies indicate.

Do you know of people or athletes that have used it and it helped their recovery? Recovery for normal people is different than athletes who are jumping every day.

That is a difficult question to answer. If a person gets it and recovers well, it is impossible to know whether they would have recovered equally well without it. You need controlled clinical studies to determine effectiveness, and so such studies have yet to show a statistically significant effect (see Worcester's link to a review of some studies - one caveat is that most of the studies have been small sample sizes, larger studies may be necessary to detect an effect).

Will Robert Williams be back in action before Christmas?

The answer to that question remains unclear, especially in light of a recent report about the Boston Celtics big man. The Athletic's Shams Charania shared that Williams received a PRP injection Monday to promote healing in his surgically repaired knee and said Williams likely won't return until the "second half" of the regular season.

"I'm told his hope is sometime in December or January, but it could even be later than that," Charania said of Williams.
That timeline would appear to be longer than the eight-to-12 weeks the Celtics announced after Williams had surgery on Sept. 22. But Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens insisted Thursday that Williams is still following the eight-to-12-week timeline, as far as he's aware.


"No one's told me it's been moved back," Stevens said on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Toucher & Rich."

An eight-to-12-week timeline post-surgery would peg Williams' return between Nov. 17 and Dec. 15, which seems early based on Charania's reporting. But it's possible there's some nuance here: The team said it expected Williams to return to basketball activities in eight-to-12 weeks, which doesn't necessarily mean game action.

worcester wrote:Normal people, yes. Athletes - I don't know of any personally who have used it.

And then there's us old guys who's surgically repaired knees are hurting just reading this thread.

I used to play tons of basketball when much younger, and have had 7 knee surgeries that were no way related to basketball.  I only wish that I had any athletic ability to play much better than I was ever capable.

But, with the 7 knee surgeries, I can speak from experience. It is going to be at least the full 12 weeks that was originally predicted for Williams to recover if not more.

If he comes back too soon he will be much more likely not to be able to play as well in the second half of the NBA season (and the playoffs).

I say let him rest, recover via time and therapy as long as necessary now to help him make a much more positive contribution later on.

wideclyde wrote:I used to play tons of basketball when much younger, and have had 7 knee surgeries that were no way related to basketball.  I only wish that I had any athletic ability to play much better than I was ever capable.

But, with the 7 knee surgeries, I can speak from experience.  It is going to be at least the full 12 weeks that was originally predicted for Williams to recover if not more.

If he comes back too soon he will be much more likely not to be able to play as well in the second half of the NBA season (and the playoffs).

I say let him rest, recover via time and therapy as long as necessary now to help him make a much more positive contribution later on.

+1

Totally hear ya, in hindsight it was probably best to not even play him in last years playoffs, but sure he was as gung ho as McHale and wanted to play as bad as we wanted to see him. A real difference maker on the floor, it might be best to protect himself from himself.

The original 8-12 week timeline for Timelord appears to be right on track.

We are now close to 7 weeks since his surgery. He is working out and traveling with the team. Things apparently are going well. If we use the 12 week estimate, he would be ready to return on December 15th.

Let's hope there are no setbacks as he continues his rehabilitation.

dboss,

The fact that he is traveling with the team speaks volumes for me. And perhaps moves things up a little bit. We know that in that organization with the people he has to work with he is busting his behind to get back to top form and stay that way for the rest of his career.

We'll see.

db

dbrown4 wrote:dboss,

The fact that he is traveling with the team speaks volumes for me.  And perhaps moves things up a little bit.  We know that in that organization with the people he has to work with he is busting his behind to get back to top form and stay that way for the rest of his career.  

We'll see.  

db  

db

No doubt. All of us hope he can get back and stay back.

Hey I am already doing some scouting for centers available in the 2nd round 2023. We have a long term need to find another center even if Rob become more available.

Dboss curious who your keeping tabs on for that pick, having been concerned that we let go 2 potential serviceable back ups in Moses Brown and Bol Bol. Looks like Kornet may actually be coming around and earning a few minutes.

Success begets more success.  Everyone wants to get into the game and contribute positively.  That's what we're seeing.  No one wants to be the weakest link.  

Cases in point.  P-Squared.  Hadn't been playing too well or too much lately so much so one would think he was in the dog house with CJ.  But he came out like the house was on fire last night.  He was everywhere.
Fantastic!  

Next game watch for Doogie to go for 30.  This wasn't a memorable game for him, but he's kicking the barn door down waiting for Monday night.  We didn't need 24 from him last night.

GW showed up and played very well and very solid after lackluster previous games.

No Brogden? No Problem. Enjoy the rehab and the night off.  

No weak links and if there is one, the rest of the team has got you covered.  When's RWIII coming back?!!  Not soon enough!! Hopefully he has caught the team fever being on the bench now with the team and it won't take 15-20 games for him to get into the flow.  

db