Celtics center Robert Williams endured a painful stretch of playoff basketball after returning from meniscus surgery that sidelined him for the end of the regular season, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Williams expects the pain in his left knee to fade away during the offseason, but he said the sting of losing the NBA Finals will be harder to recover from.
“It don’t stop hurting,” he said about falling short of a title. “Honestly, it never stops hurting until we’re back in this position again. Starting with the beginning of the season. Just got to be better, man. Got to be better. Everyone got to take a step up, add a little intensity to everything we’re doing. But it never stops hurting.”
Williams became a full-time starter during his fourth NBA season and posted career-best numbers with 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. The extension he signed last summer will keep him in Boston through 2026 and provide him with a few more chances to chase a title with the Celtics.
Coach Ime Udoka wants to see Williams get stronger heading into 2022/23 to protect himself against further injuries.
“A big part is taking care of your body and staying available,” Udoka said. “Obviously, had to strengthen up his legs, build all the muscle around it to protect his knees. But what I did tell him also was credit for playing through what he did and giving it a go, being out there for us. Now it’s time to rest up, heal up, be ready for next season and come back in better shape, better than you were this year coming into the season.”
There’s more from Boston:
- The Celtics’ moves at the trade deadline created an opportunity for Payton Pritchard, Justin Quinn writes for Yahoo Sports. The second-year shooting guard hopes to carry the experience into next season. “This season’s probably been one of my biggest growths mentally,” Pritchard said. “Starting off the season, it was a different situation. I wasn’t playing at all for like the first 60 games, in and out and then the trade deadline happened and then I got an opportunity to play.”
- In an offseason preview, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype looks at players the Celtics might target with their mid-level exception and their trade exceptions.
For the sake of all the hardcore CELTICS fans, this team badly needs to get back to the Finals next season.
With all the fan and media hype and hoopla this team regularly receives, one wouldn’t think that this franchise has only a single championship to show for, in the last 3 decades.
The hype was so great this season, that the media practically created a brand new category for the CELTICS, “Best Team since January”.
What won’t they think of next.
Danny Ainge.
I don’t know man, I think it might be because they’re one of the two most successful franchises of all time, which makes them one of the best known franchises, and hyping them makes the media money.
No point worrying about such things.
Dang Mainge
36 years, 30 franchises, one championship… Celtics are just above par.
You realize the majority of NBA teams haven’t won at all in that time period I assume.
That’s my point ……. in the last 36 years, only one championship to show for.
Bill Simmons, Jackie MacMullan, ESPN and other mainstream media and the fans have been milking the hell out of that 1 “modern-day” championship and the glorious memories of Larry Bird, McHale and company for the longest time now.
Can we take that as a warning, Mike?
With a good roster ideal for running it back, it’s a shame the fans will be waiting for more. Even using the MLE may be a luxury.
If the Celtics really were all that, next season they should prove it. I think the Nets will continue to struggle, the Heat won’t be the 1 seed, and the Bucks will be the biggest obstacle.
The four most difficult things to do in team sports:
1. Construct a Championship team
2. Get to the Championship game or series
3. Maintain a championship caliber team
4. Get to multiple championships
Each one is difficult to achieve and have different components they are assessed. For example, Utah thought they had #1 set but since they have not achieved #2 they may breaking up the team to start over. GS, with some hiccups, is in stages 3 & 4. The Bucks are in stage 3. Bos and Phx in stage 2?
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!
GSW are ruining the game by abusing CBA…
All bc they bigger market w a new billion foliar stadium..
They don’t need to make tough choices. Just pay everyone…
Now othervteams are copying that. Bkn nets w
Barclays…
Clippers are building new billion dollar stadium…
These teams are paying for 4th max slots & it’s rigging the gm…
NBA is losing Parody..
$350mil payroll vs Cs $138mil payroll
It’s a JOKE…
CS UNDER TAX…
NOW HAVE TOUGH CHOICES W HORFORD 23MIL ..
BUT GSW.. JUST PAY EVERYONE INCL ROOKIES LIKE WISEMAN $10MIL A YR…
ITS RIGGED. ITS BECOME BASEBALL..
NBA MUST FIX CBA.. SOME IDEAS
REPEAT LUXURY TAX PAYERS LOSE THEIR 1ST RD PICK…
AND HARD LINE NEEDS SET AT SAY 10MIL OVER TAX LINE.
A REAL HARD LINE THAT U CANT GO OVER NO MATTER WHAT…
FOR EX. GSW WOULDN’T HAVE HAD WIGGINS W MY IDEAS BC OF PAYROLL.
OR THEY HAVE TO UNLOAD THE ROOKIES + DEPTH…
POINT IS THEY WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO JUST ABUSE THE TAX BC THEY GOT BILLION DOLLAR NEW STADIUM..
IF NBA DONT FIX THOS IN CBA YOU LOSE ALL PARODY..
OFC YOU WONDER WHY REFS GAVE GSW ALL CALLS IN GM 5 INCL 2X techs.tech..
Well gsw pays a 1/4 billion tax bill…
Cs pay no tax…
If gsw wins, to stay together they will pay 1/2 billion over 2 yrs…
Just in tax…
If Cs win they pay no tax & GSW blows it up…
Again, it’s rigged & ruining Parody.
U feel bad for teams like Bos & Okc & teams under cap…
GSW is basically cheating.
I take nothing away from Curry & them guys bc there great but w out Wiggins they don’t get that chip.
Also most teams pick 2 of 3 stars. GSW paid all.All.. 2 super max w klay & steph both 40mil +. And green 20mil + plus Wiggins $30mil +..
Plus Wiseman $10mil + Kuminga n moody deals plus looney &.others…
They have bo tough choices to make. Just spend spend spend.
Why even have a CBA if GSW abuses it so bad…
CBA suppose to keep Parody. NBA needs red line..
It’s become a joke.
:'(
Parity. It’s not ruining parody. In your option it’s creating it.
I hope that post was a parody.
I think he is saying that NBA parity is a parody of parity.
It’s Parity, not Parody. Quit freaking out and get mad at your own team’s owner for being cheap. Every owner is a billionaire and can afford it. Celtics chose not to go into the tax this year and paid for it by not having enough depth when it counted the most. Some of the owners choose not to spend. If they choose not to they can sell their team and make 5x what they paid for it or more.
I’m not a GSW fan btw.
Ugh get out of here. The suns in the 00s could have been a dynasty if they weren’t cheap. Same with the thunder. The warriors drafted their stars and used a series of genius moves to get Wiggins and kuminga. They didn’t buy a super team. They’re willing to pay a monster luxury tax to win titles. All owners are billionaires. The warriors owners put up the initial investment and are now taking in the profits, well within the rules. Any owner could do this. I’m super jealous.
Wow. It’s like Sillivan on steroids.
Lol this is such a pathetic post.
Brutal meltdown.
It is brutal but the soft cap should be harder. It’s optional/negotiated. The CBA is not written in stone. When the cutrent one was made, nobody dreamed there would be so much luxury tax expenditure. The purpose was to allow a team to keep an important player, not be a steady state.
Compassion for the owners is not the point. A level playing field is.
Also expenses are largely paid by fans, not owners. Nobody will deficit-spend if they don’t have to.
The Warriors are within the rules of the CBA, so there is no “abuse”.
Deal with it!
Troller, the CBA is supposed to be redone in ’24. I would be surprised if the cap is not harder. I suspect many owners attribute the ’24 ‘ship especially to deficit spending, or at least profligate spending. They will not want to have to match that.
Boston Celtics and their fans are such a delusional, arrogant bunch. They believed in their own hype and got embarrassed in the finals. They lost 3 in a row after leading 2-1.
This couldn’t have happened to a better team. I’m loving it. “Best defense” that got exposed lol.
I’m the biggest Warriors fan on the face of the planet and yet I can say I’m a basketball fan as well. The Celtics were NOT “embarrassed in the finals.” They came this close to winning the whole thing.
It went 6 games (or “6 ish” as I’ve been saying for 2 weeks.. insert big selfie pat on the back here) and nobody really knew how game 5 would go with the series tied 2-2. I mean nobody. I think I’m not the only Warrior fan that was nervous at that point.
Celtics are absolutely in good shape to run this back and get to the promised land next year. Add a guy here or there and they’ll be fine.
You seem like a good guy and your takes are mostly on point.
I’m saying how the pundits kept going on about how the Celtics defense was too much for the Warriors to overcome and what not. I mean I’m guilty of going with the crowd on this.
I had Warriors as underdogs and I’m so glad to be proven wrong on this. So with all the hype about the so-called “great” Celtics defense and how big and tough they were, in that way they were kind of embarassed.
I mean they lost 3 in a row lol. The Celtics’ fanbase is insufferable. All that chest thumping for nothing.
Got you. Makes sense now.
I don’t know – losing 3 straight and getting worse at what they said their focus was (reducing turnovers) happened.
It’s hard to see who they could add to get better, while it’s easy to see for the Bucks and Nets.
True but I don’t see them falling off a cliff. I see them right back in the finals mix next year, with the Bucks and the Heat.
Turnovers was their focus bc it was their weakness, playing combo guards for the benefit of a switching defense. Every scheme has its ups & downs.
Their roster is secure if hard to alter, and they’ve been winning consistently.
Celtics need a veteran PG to run the show and one more piece in the bench and they will be in the finals again next year. Not many veteran pg out their. MALCOLM BROGDON might be a fit but don’t know who they can trade for him .
Malcolm Brogdon can’t stay healthy. Not worth the risk of what you would pay to get him and then his salary on top of that.
If they add a pg, which starter gets benched?
Marcus Smart.
Smart for Brogdon is possible. Having won DPOY, gone to the finals, and having beaten himself up with his style, Smart may be due for an off-year to retune. Stevens could figure he can do that in Indy, and Indy needs those qualities.
Smart could wind up being the player the Celtics need too! He does see the court well and showed off some good passes.
Using White for trade makes more sense… His strength in SA was PnRs, which Boston does not run often. He should have some demand.
Horford & Williams may be best used for one position for durability. Does Tatum want a title?— if so, be a 4.