Boston Celtics: 3 Players that impacted win over Warriors

Boston Celtics that impacted win: Grant Williams

Through 19 games in this strange season, Grant Williams has fluctuated within the rotation.

Some nights he would play upwards of 20 minutes a game, others he found himself in the starting lineup, and sometimes he would receive DNP-coach’s decision. In this particular matchup, he excelled against the Warriors’ small-ball aspirations, with Draymond Green acting as the center in their lineups.

This small-ball group was especially emphasized when Golden State lost Kevon Looney late in the first half due to injury, while they were already without star rookie James Wiseman. With Draymond playing 38 minutes in this contest, Williams had his opportunity to stay on the court.

Williams’ stock has gone relatively down in his second season, as his defensive performance has been below-average for what was expected of him after his stellar rookie year. He presented promise as a switch defender in championship-level teams, but he often got beaten off the dribble on the perimeter and has a tendency to foul more than anyone on the team.

However, in this game, none of these prior flaws were present, holding up against many of the Warriors’ mediocre wings. He only recorded one foul in 27 minutes while scoring 15 points on a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and 3-of-3 from downtown.

His offensive game has improved tremendously, beginning with his three-point shot.

Coming into this game, he had been shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc, up from 25 percent in his rookie season. It’s gotten to a point where if the Boston Celtics’ offensive possession ends in a corner three for Grant Williams, that’s a productive possession.

One of his threes on Tuesday was even a step-back, a move he had no chance of pulling off last year. After the game, he spoke about how he has become more comfortable shooting the ball from distance this season.

On the glass, he hauled in two key offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, allowing for multiple second-chance points opportunities when the Boston Celtics were struggling to find the basket in the final period.

Also blocking two shots on the night, Grant Williams did a little bit of everything, certainly deserving recognition after his best game of the year.