Well, that run as the Eastern Conference’s top dog sure was something.
In all seriousness, it’s amazing how priorities can change in a blink. The Celtics haven’t ruled Robert Williams out for the postseason, but there’s no telling what he’s going to look like after he undergoes whatever procedure he decides on. For now, Boston has to figure out how to compete at a high level without him before the postseason starts.
“Definitely is a hit to us,” Marcus Smart said after Monday’s 115-112 OT loss. “We know Rob wouldn’t want us to hold our heads, and we’re not going to do that.”
Although they didn’t win on Monday, the Celtics made it very clear in Toronto they can survive the first round of the playoffs without Williams, if seeded against the right opponent. Yes, it only took one game against the Raptors to confirm that. If Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown played in Toronto, the Celtics are still atop the East — never mind if they both suited up.
The Celtics don’t need Williams in order to beat any team ranked five through 10 in the East that isn’t Brooklyn. If the C’s get stuck against the Nets, that’s another thing. With how tight things are one through four, as well as five through eight and eight through 10, there’s no telling who Boston will draw — not to mention, the play-in tournament.
But among those teams ranked five through 10, the Raptors have been one of the hottest, and they could turn into the fifth seed in a blink. Yet the Celtics only lost to them by three on the road in overtime on the second leg of a back-to-back without their No. 1 and 2 scorers, plus their rim protector and their No. 5 starter. One game doesn’t tell an entire story, but it confirms the previous suspicion about Boston’s ability to handle the East’s lower-seeded playoff teams without Time Lord.
“The advantage that we have with that is we went through 30-something games without our full roster,” Smart said. “We had to learn and adjust and play like that. … We still have other guys that’s been waiting for their turn to step up, and that’s just what it is.
“Everything happens for a reason. That’s my motto. That’s how I grew up, that’s how I was raised. That’s instilled in me.”
This is just the start, though. Grant Williams may be the one to fill the gap, but the Celtics need to figure out how to pivot to that game plan for more than the bursts they normally would when Time Lord is active. Unfortunately, the Celtics still have quite a bit of work ahead of them and not a lot of time. At least we know they should be able to work through some of those problems in the first round if they don’t run into a healthy Nets team.