Celtics center Robert Williams III had a strong performance in the team’s 114-112 victory over Chicago on Saturday, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. Williams finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two blocks, helping Boston secure a much-needed win at home.
“I think he was just out there playing with a lot of energy, staying solid, and he’s handled it very well,” Celtics veteran Al Horford said of Williams. “He looks more and more comfortable, and that’s a good time for us.”
Williams agreed to a four-year, $54MM contract extension with Boston last summer. In 35 starts this season, he’s averaged a career-best 10.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks, playing 29.3 minutes per game. The Celtics rank sixth in defensive rating (107.3) largely because of his play.
Here are some other notes from the Atlantic:
- Alex Schiffer of The Athletic examines what Kevin Durant‘s MCL sprain means for the Nets. Durant is averaging 29.3 points per game this season, his highest mark since the 2012/13 season. He’s also shooting 52% from the floor, 37% from three and 89% from the charity stripe. “We’ve been a resilient group all year since I’ve been here,” James Harden said. “So, we just got to keep pushing.”
- Sixers wing Matisse Thybulle will be out for at least one week after an MRI revealed a right shoulder sprain, Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times tweets. Thybulle missed the team’s game against Miami on Saturday due to the injury, starting in 17 of his 32 games so far this season.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of Full Court Press spoke to Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens about the upcoming trade deadline. The deadline falls on February 10 this season, just three weeks from Thursday. “It’s always the same goal here,” Stevens said. “Whatever we do has to make sense…putting yourself in the mix to compete for the next banner.”
The Celtics first move is to get a better coach! Brown and Tatum egos are to much for a rookie coach! Get us a solid point guard! Ball would have great!
Can’t blame Ime’ for taking such a prestigious job, but he was better suited for the Orlando Magic-type jobs… Washington Generals, etc…
Phoenix Mercury…
Udoka is terrible. Should never have gotten the job.
Williams should be averaging a double double ever game but instead he’s invisible to his teammates
He’s literally a .8 rebounding average away from averaging a double double. Should his teammates block out for him more often to get that extra .8 rebound a game? The man can’t shoot outside of 8ft or so… He’s got a sort of jump hook looking thingy and a sort of floater in his arsenal and that’s it (besides the insane leaping/dunking ability). So he’s not going to score much very often, specially if another team clogs the lane. He’s a rim running lob threat basically. Hence his 10 ppg.
Baseless speculation: If Kyrie extends his refusal of the jab he’ll be shopped heavily at the TDE.
Brooklyn can’t afford to play around any longer, and an extended KD absence could cost them HC in the PS.
Bottom line: Durant isn’t built to play 35+mpg mpg/82 gm seasons anymore. Harden looks like he’s 80% of what he was in Houston, and the COVID NYC mandate is most likely never going away. And this is Year 3 of Durant. They clearly need a more reliable, deeper roster around him.
Considering anything is possible w/ Kyrie, and he’s a FA this summer—the calculus might say flip him now, even if it’s .80 on the dollar.
I think he opts in if he doesnt have an extension on the table.