2 Boston Celtics players that could see increased roles in NBA Finals

Boston Celtics player No. 2) Robert Williams III

Robert Williams III came into the 2022 postseason a bit hobbled, as he had found himself sitting out the final week and a half of the regular season due to a left knee injury that, ultimately, required surgery.

Though the expected recovery period initially had him out for an indefinite period of time, by Game 3 of their Quarterfinals matchup against the Brooklyn Nets (just about a month after going under the knife) the big man made his return to the hardwood and, ultimately, helped guide the Boston Celtics to a series sweep in round one, a hard-fought series victory in round two, and, now, an NBA Finals berth after a tremendous round three.

The one caveat when it comes to his postseason run up to this point, however, is that he’s been somewhat held back on a minutes restriction, seeing over 26 minutes played just once, with that one occasion coming out of necessity, as Al Horford was out due to Health and Safety Protocols and Grant Williams saw himself get into foul trouble.

Now, in this NBA Finals matchup, the C’s are going to need all hands on deck if they wish to come out on top come year’s end, and step one comes with taking the proverbial training wheels off for Time Lord.

Prior to sustaining his knee injury, Williams was having himself quite the breakout campaign, boasting a per-game stat-line of 10 points, 9.6 rebounds, two assists, and 2.2 blocks on an incredible 73.6 percent shooting from the floor.

With the big man on the floor, Boston’s Offensive Rating found itself ranking within the top 10 in the league (113.4), while their Defensive and NET Ratings were both the best (103.4 and 10.0, respectively).

That said, with Williams off the floor up to that point, the Celtics’ offense was the area that saw itself flatline, as it plummeted into the bottom-10 in the association (110.1).

In order for the shamrocks to take home the 2022 Larry O’Brien Trophy, they’ll need to play at the high-end, two-way level that they produced at throughout the majority of their second-half stretch and, in order for them to do this, they’ll need Robert Williams III to be a full go.