The Celtics enter Monday night’s Game 4 against the Heat with Marcus Smart (right ankle sprain) and Robert Williams (left knee soreness) both listed as questionable.
Smart’s importance was easy enough to see when you look at how the Celtics played in Game 1 without him vs. Game 2 with him.
In Game 3, Williams’ importance became evident. Miami center Bam Adebayo feasted with Daniel Theis guarding him for most of the first half instead of Williams, putting up 21 points in the first half alone.
On The Greg Hill Show Monday morning, Stadium’s Jeff Goodman highlighted that matchup as a major problem for the Celtics.
“They dug themselves such a big hole in Game 3 because, frankly, Daniel Theis was on the court instead of Robert Williams, and Bam Adebayo was salivating when he saw Daniel Theis,” Goodman said. “And Bam Adebayo looked like AAU or high school Bam Adebayo, where he just got the ball and wanted to score every time he touched the ball. And that was huge for them, because they kind of needed a second guy. And really he became the first guy because Jimmy Butler didn’t show early, and obviously was banged up and didn’t come back for the second half.
“So they [the Celtics] can’t allow that to happen defensively. They were so bad defensively in the first quarter and a half, and giving Miami completely wide-open three-point shots. Uncontested shot after shot. That’s not what they’ve been all year. But again, when you’re putting Theis in there, the rotations are different and Adebayo down low was able to take advantage, which then opened it up for all those uncontested shots on the perimeter.”
When the Celtics got back in the game in the second half Saturday, it came with Theis on the bench, as he played just three minutes after halftime. For the series, the Celtics have been outscored by 36 points in 37 minutes with Theis in the game. In 107 minutes without him on the court, Boston has outscored Miami by 44.
Goodman said the Celtics need Williams for Game 4, even if it’s in a limited capacity. He isn’t confident they’ll even get that, though.
“Have to [have him],” Goodman said. “But how much faith do you guys have that he’s gonna show up on the court tonight? It’s a flip of the coin to me. Pain tolerance. Everything’s pain tolerance. … To me, if Robert Williams can get out there and give you 75 percent, then that’s enough at least for eight, 10 minutes that you don’t have to throw Daniel Theis out there.”
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