Boston Celtics: 2 Unsung Heroes From Seeding Games
By Mark Nilon
Boston Celtics Unsung Hero No. 2) Grant Williams
Perhaps the least buzzed about rookie for the Boston Celtics heading into the 2019-20 season, Grant Williams‘ first year in the NBA has been quite impressive.
No, he’s not the type of player who’ll instill fear in the hearts of a defense or one that an opposing team will game plan around, but his willingness to do the little things on the court made him the most frequently used rookie throughout this year’s campaign and, frankly, it hasn’t even been close.
His 68 games actually logging minutes on the hardwood trails only Brad Wanamaker‘s 70, and is tied with only Semi Ojeleye in this respect. The rookie closest to Williams in terms of games played this season is Javonte Green with 47 however, logging 9.2 minutes in comparison to Williams’ 15, the margin of difference is still a lot greater than it may outwardly appear.
With this in mind, it should not have come as a shock to anyone watching the Boston Celtics during the seeding games that he would continue to be the most utilized rookie.
Similar to his averages prior to the bubble, Williams’ numbers are not necessarily what one would consider “eye-popping.” Boasting 2.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and half a block per game on 27 percent shooting from deep in just 10.3 minutes, on paper it would appear as though Williams rarely had an impact any game’s outcome throughout the seeding exhibitions.
However, for those who actually took the time to watch the rookie while on the court, one would notice that his hustle and willingness to do everything — a la Marcus Smart — in his short windows of opportunity were contagious to his teammates and, thus, impressed spectators indeed.
No, he did not often find himself pulling up from deep or take his defender down to the low block and bully his way to buy a bucket; he didn’t need to.
No, he did not drop dimes left and right to a cutting man or lead the way on multiple fast breaks; he didn’t need to.
Instead, what he did do were the little things that needed to be done: set screens, swing the ball on offense, seal off defenders, stick with his man on defense, fight for second-chance opportunities, etc.
Is Grant Williams in the running for the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year award? No.
That said, he has been one of the least talked about rookies in the entire association this year, even on his own squad, yet has been one of the most impactful by being assigned a task/ role and executing it.
dark. Next. Brad Wanamaker enters C’s record books