Timelord and Ime Udoka a match made in NBA heaven

Timelord and Ime Udoka a match made in NBA heaven



By MARK MURPHY | Boston Herald
March 18, 2022 at 7:49 p.m.



This sort of thing doesn’t always go well, but in the case of Rob Williams and Ime Udoka, the mutual trust that resulted in their first year together has resulted in a jump in the young center’s game.

And that improvement has everything to do with Williams’ openness to being, as Udoka likes to refer to it, “coached hard.”

“I didn’t know anything about Coach Udoka, to be honest,” Williams said before Friday night’s game in Sacramento. “I knew nothing at all. But Brad (Stevens) told me during the summer he was gonna try to find us a coach that brings the best out of us. And to be honest, I feel like that’s exactly what it is. Since he got here, even through the struggles, he found a way to bring the best out of each player.

“It was a surprise to me because it happened so fast, being that I didn’t know him at all. But we built a great bond, and it’s still growing,” he said. “He addresses everything. He addresses everything from the jump. He’s not scared to call anybody out – anybody on the coaching staff, players – and that’s when accountability comes in, and that’s when you build good habits.

“I feel like everybody needs a push sometimes, you know? And some people like the criticism coaching more than others. I feel like I respond to both well, but this has been a great journey receiving the criticism of the coaching staff.”

Nor did Williams’ trust waver when the team struggled early in the season. Williams’ development – good enough to deserve all-NBA defensive honors certainly – has helped elevate the Celtics to their status as the NBA’s top team in defensive rating.

“Just because new staff, new players, we knew it was gonna take time,” said Williams. “But actually, when we were going through that stretch, blowing leads, blowing games, I ran into Coach Udoka in the kitchen one day and I was just like, ‘Man, I’m tired of this (bleep). Something gotta give, you know what I’m saying?’ He was just looking at me, he was like, ‘We’re gonna get it. We’re gonna turn it around. We’re gonna get on the right path.’ And he believed in it. And I believed in him, and he believed in us. That’s what it was.”


Garnett’s lasting impact

Williams felt like a lucky fan with a front row seat when Kevin Garnett’s number was retired last Sunday.

“I didn’t realize how special it was until I was actually sitting out there,” he said. “Like I turned into a little-ass kid. I really did. And when I seen him and Ray (Allen) hug, I was the first person standing up. It was crazy. It was just something special to be a part of.”

Williams also had another instant reaction when Garnett walked into the Garden with his two daughters for the start of festivities.

“I wanted to play with him, (bleep),” he said. “When I seen his energy, that was the first thing like, imagine being in the locker room with that guy before games, after games, halftime.”


Derrick White’s shooting needs a boost

Derrick White’s transition has been seamless save for one area – he’s shot a career-low 38% over his 14 games as a Celtic, including a career-low 22.6% from 3-point range. Thus far the coaching staff hasn’t determined why, but Udoka doesn’t sound too worried.

“It’s nothing specific. He’s getting some quality looks obviously, some open looks and so it’s just, at times, just hasn’t shot it to his career average this year in general,” said the Celtics coach. “But coming to a new system and that’s gonna take a little bit of time as well. But still confident in him doing all the things he does and reading the game, whether it’s shooting it or pulling it and making a play. And so we’d like to put them in positions to help him get something easy early. He makes the right read every time, and so it’s not like he’s just standing out there getting spot-up shots only.


Bob
MY NOTE: It's weird about White's shooting. Shooting should be the easiest to transfer but his defensive assignments have been done very well, he's passing, he's just not hitting his shots.


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