The Celtics, the hottest team in basketball for the past month (if not longer), were dealt a major blow with Sunday night’s injury to Robert Williams, who many feared would be lost for the season after suffering a torn meniscus. The 6’9” center underwent successful knee surgery Wednesday morning with doctors estimating a 4-6 week recovery, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. If that timetable holds, “Time Lord” could be back in the Celtics’ starting five as soon as the Eastern Conference semis, assuming Boston advances to the second around.
This is unequivocally good news for the Celtics, who, after weathering a sluggish 18-21 start, have been an absolute juggernaut of late, limiting opponents to a league-low 104 points per game while moving within a game of Miami for the Eastern Conference’s top playoff seed. Though most of the credit has gone to MVP candidate Jayson Tatum, you could argue Williams has been equally important to the Celtics’ revival. Only Memphis’ Jaren Jackson has averaged more blocks per game than Time Lord this season (2.2), who has emerged as a nightly double-double threat while entering the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year.
A healthy Williams will be key to neutralizing Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo and reigning Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, among other big men the Celtics could encounter in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Playoff seeding will be especially important this year with teams hoping to avoid a first-round matchup with Brooklyn, particularly with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving now permitted to play home games at Barclays Center (the result of New York Mayor Eric Adams finally rolling back the city’s COVID mandates for unvaccinated athletes).
The Celtics will be forced to play smaller in Williams’ absence, with Al Horford transitioning to center and more minutes afforded to both Grant Williams and veteran backup Daniel Theis. If the playoffs began today, the third-seeded Celtics would face Toronto in the first round.
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