Boston Celtics: Grant Williams deserving of more minutes vs. Miami

Based on his highly impactful play in game seven, the Boston Celtics should bestow rookie big man Grant Williams more minutes against Miami.

Now that the Eastern Conference Semifinals are all said and done, the Boston Celtics can now set their sights on the future as they gear up for a Conference Finals matchup against the surging Miami Heat.

Facing off against the South Beach squad on three occasions throughout the 2019-20 campaign, the shamrocks managed to accumulate a head-to-head record of 2-1 and finished the season with four more total wins.

Recently, we analyzed how both teams fared against one another on both ends of the court and came to the conclusion that their typical rotations are quite similar in regard to both firepower and production.

However, heading into the series, coach Brad Stevens may opt to make a few tweaks to the rotation based on some of his players’ solid showings in round two.

Grant Williams, in particular, may have made a case for himself to crack into the lineup after his impressive level of play. Though he may have only averaged 2.9 points and 1.3 rebounds, his shooting efficiency was quite impressive, as he notched in at a shooting clip of 54 percent from the floor and 50 percent from downtown.

His defensive prowess, hustle, and willingness to do virtually anything coach Stevens asks him to, however, is the real reason why he could be in line for increased minutes in round three. Averaging just 10.9 minutes per game, Williams finds himself boasting a defensive box plus/ minus rating of 3.0 (second-highest on the team) and an overall box plus/ minus of 4.3 (fourth-highest on the team).

Against a tough-nosed team like the Heat, his level of intensity could certainly be a plus in the frontcourt.

Though he may not be the most highly touted player to have come out of the 2019 NBA Draft, or even the most popular rookie on the Boston Celtics, he has had the greatest impact on this squad out of all their first-year talents. His debut postseason performances, especially during the C’s game seven closeout victory, certainly warrant him consideration for more playing time as we advance on into the next round.