BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 23: Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics rebounds during the second quarter of the game against the Utah Jazz at TD Garden on March 23, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics have been the talk of the town since the start of the new year. Their elite defense and improved offensive ball movement has completely dominated any team that crosses their path.
Jayson Tatum is leading the way on offense, Marcus Smart is leading the way on defense, and new head coach Ime Udoka is putting everyone in an ideal position to thrive.
Boston Celtics players who need to step up after Robert Williams injury
One of the most important pieces of their team this season has been big man Robert Williams. Unfortunately, the Celtics suffered a heavy blow the other night when it was announced that Williams tore his meniscus.
It was reported that Williams will miss at least several weeks, with the most common timetable for return for meniscus tears being 6-to-8 weeks. That would put his return around the second round of the playoffs at the earliest, but more likely at some point during the Eastern Conference Finals.
Williams has been a massive help on the offensive end for the Celtics, giving them a constant lob threat down low, but his presence has mostly been felt on the defensive side of the floor.
Udoka put Williams in a free safety role, meaning he plays off the ball while Al Horford defends opposing big men. This has allowed Williams to thrive, snatching blocks and providing elite help defense.
And while no one on the roster will be able to replicate that to perfection, there are some guys who will need to step up in William’s absence. Which Celtics players are going to need to step their games up the most?
Boston Celtics have been the talk of the town since the start of the new year. Their elite defense and improved offensive ball movement has completely dominated any team that crosses their path.</p>
<p>Jayson Tatum is leading the way on offense, Marcus Smart is leading the way on defense, and new head coach Ime Udoka is putting everyone in an ideal position to thrive.</p>
<h2>Boston Celtics players who need to step up after Robert Williams injury</h2>
<p>One of the most important pieces of their team this season has been big man Robert Williams. Unfortunately, the Celtics suffered a heavy blow the other night when it was announced that Williams tore his meniscus.</p>
<p>It was reported that Williams will <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/30/boston-celtics-robert-williams-injury-2/"https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/33616494/robert-williams-knee-injury-center-absence-means-boston-celtics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">miss at least several weeks</a>, with the most common timetable for return for meniscus tears being 6-to-8 weeks. That would put his return around the second round of the playoffs at the earliest, but more likely at some point during the Eastern Conference Finals.</p>
<p>Williams has been a massive help on the offensive end for the Celtics, giving them a constant lob threat down low, but his presence has mostly been felt on the defensive side of the floor.</p>
<p>Udoka put Williams in a free safety role, meaning he plays off the ball while Al Horford defends opposing big men. This has allowed Williams to thrive, snatching blocks and providing elite help defense.</p>
<p>And while no one on the roster will be able to replicate that to perfection, there are some guys who will need to step up in William’s absence. Which Celtics players are going to need to step their games up the most?</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/30/boston-celtics-robert-williams-injury-2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Player #1 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-443593" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/30/boston-celtics-robert-williams-injury-2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1386315629.jpeg" alt="Boston Celtics, Robert Williams" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1386315629.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1386315629-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 16: Daniel Theis #27 of the Boston Celtics looks on in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on March 16, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Boston Celtics players who need to step up after Robert Williams injury: Daniel Theis</h2>
<p>Brad Stevens traded Enes Freedom, Dennis Schroder, and Bruno Fernando to the Houston Rockets at the trade deadline. In exchange, he brought back a familiar face in Daniel Theis.</p>
<p>Theis was a part of Boston’s Eastern Conference Finals runs, and in 2020 he was the starting center for the C’s as they marched all the way there. And while he’s in no position to start for the Celtics this year, he’ll be a major help off the bench.</p>
<p>With Williams out, the Celtics will need their backup big man to play more minutes than they initially anticipated. He’ll likely have to play around 15-20 minutes a night from now on at a bare minimum.</p>
<p>Before the injury, Udoka commonly ran a seven-man lineup consisting of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Williams, Horford, Derrick White, and Grant Williams.</p>
<p>Theis got some spot minutes, and Payton Pritchard has slowly inserted themselves into that rotation as well, but Theis needs to adapt the next-man-up mentality now.</p>
<p>He’s going to have to play a bunch of playoff minutes and take on some serious defensive matchups. Whether or not he’ll play free safety as Williams did is yet to be seen, but at the very least, he’ll take on a bunch of the available minutes.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/30/boston-celtics-robert-williams-injury-2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Player #2 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-443594" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/30/boston-celtics-robert-williams-injury-2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2130,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1239556959.jpeg" alt="Boston Celtics, Robert Williams" width="3200" height="2130" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1239556959.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1239556959-768x511.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">BOSTON, MA- MARCH 27: Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics holds his follow through against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at TD Garden on March 27, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/ Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Boston Celtics players who need to step up after Robert Williams injury: Grant Williams</h2>
<p>Whenever one of Robert Wiliams or Al Horford has been out this season, Ime Udoka has inserted Grant Williams in the starting lineup as a replacement. In all likelihood, that will continue to be the case.</p>
<p>If that is true, then Williams will take over the starting role at power forward and Horford will shift over to the center position, which Horford has largely been playing anyways, guarding opposing centers.</p>
<p>Now, this isn’t to say that Grant Williams can replicate the free safety role that Robert Williams played. He can’t. As great as Grant has been this year, he isn’t nearly tall or athletic enough.</p>
<p>However, he can provide quality defense on wings, forward, and bigs. He guarded Karl-Anthony Towns for the majority of Boston’s recent win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.</p>
<p>And in addition, Grant brings something to the table that Rob doesn’t – shooting. He’s quickly turned himself into one of the most efficient and dependable three-point shooters in the NBA.</p>
<p>That doesn’t make up for what the C’s will be missing with Rob, but it does give them a new look in the starting lineup. Grant has looked much improved on both ends of the floor this year, and with Rob set to miss several weeks, he’s going to get the chance to show off those improvements.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/30/boston-celtics-robert-williams-injury-2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Player #3 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-443595" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/30/boston-celtics-robert-williams-injury-2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1386315451.jpeg" alt="Boston Celtics, Robert Williams" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1386315451.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1386315451-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 16: Aaron Nesmith #26 of the Boston Celtics warms up before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on March 16, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Boston Celtics players who need to step up after Robert Williams injury: Aaron Nesmith</h2>
<p>As mentioned, Ime Udoka usually runs a seven-or-eight-man rotation consisting of the starters Grant Williams, Derrick White, and lately, Payton Pritchard.</p>
<p>But with one of the starters out, it’s going to take the effort of multiple people to cover for him. And while Daniel Theis will likely take over some of the open center minutes, so will Grant Williams.</p>
<p>And if Williams is spending more time at the big man spot, that opens up some minutes at the forward position and on the wing. That’s where second-year guy Aaron Nesmith comes in.</p>
<p>Nesmith got the start and played nearly 39 minutes in Boston’s recent loss to the Toronto Raptors. That was obviously an exception since both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were out, expect him to get an uptick in minutes in the following weeks.</p>
<p>For the first half of the season, Nesmith was behind Tatum, Brown, Josh Richardson, and even Romeo Langford in the rotation. And even after the trade deadline, he wasn’t a part of Udoka’s top-seven, or even top-eight or nine.</p>
<p>But now, he’ll get the chance to play more minutes, and they’re going to be some very important minutes, too. If Nesmith can start hitting his shots and continue to play the great hustle defense he is known for, the Celtics will be in a good spot.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="The impact of the Robert Williams injury for the Celtics" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/28/robert-williams-injury-boston-celtics/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/30/boston-celtics-robert-williams-injury-2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/28/robert-williams-injury-boston-celtics/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> The impact of the Robert Williams injury for the Celtics </a> </div>
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