The last installment of the end of the year player grade series for the Boston Celtics is here!
Today, we are grading the C’s centers for the 2021-22 NBA season. These include the starting big man, bench bigs, and a five-man that got traded midway through the season.
We are judging these centers based on their performance over the course of the run with the ball club.
To qualify for a player grade, they had to have been a part of Ime Udoka’s regular rotation at some point during this year’s campaign. For that reason, guys like Bruno Fernando and Luke Kornet would be ineligible due to their minuscule roles on the squad.
The scale of marks ranges from an A+ all the way down to an F.
These evaluations are based on the collective of what they did well and where they fell short as well as the expectations we at HH had for these big men.
Make sure to also take a gander at the two previous series where we gave out grades to the Celts’ guards and forwards.
These centers listed today are responsible for anchoring a defense, working the glass, creating second-chance point opportunities, setting solid screens when running the pick-and-roll, and being able to guard that same action on D.
Without further adieu, here are the Boston Celtics report card grades for the centers from the 2021-22 NBA season:
The Boston Celtics starter
Robert Williams
One of the more vital pieces of the Boston Celtics this year has been their starting center, Robert Williams.
Defensively, he was second in the NBA in blocks with 2.2 and averaged a career-high 9.6 rebounds. The winner of his first Tommy award for endless hustle performances like getting those coveted 50-50 balls, keeping possessions alive, and causing difficulty on drives to the paint.
On the offensive side of the ball, we saw one of the best lob threats, rim runners, and offensive rebounders in the association. Additionally, he was probably one of the more underrated passers on the team with his ability to spot cutters and make plays out of the paint.
Time Lord finished the season averaging 10 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and two assists per game on a ridiculous 73.6 percent shooting from the field and a career-high 72 percent shooting from the foul line.
Had Rob played enough games to qualify, that field goal percentage mark would have ranked as the second-best in all of NBA history only trailing Knicks center, Mitchell Robinson, who shot over 74 percent in the 2019-20 season.
We have to begin to talk about his lack of availability this year, only appearing in 61 games. The Boston Celtics big man is injury prone and generally plays a high-risk style that makes him easily susceptible to these ailments.
Obviously, we love the energy Williams brings night in and night out, but he needs to pick his spots more and refine his game to be considered more than just a freak athlete.
Adding a mid-range jumper could do the trick or implement some sort of a baby hook shot in the post.
No one is asking him to become Al Horford-esque from beyond the arc, but diversifying his offensive bag could elevate his game to a whole new level.
These two areas are why he comes just shy of a perfect mark.
Grade: A-