Blakely: Robert Williams could be back soon for Boston Celtics
By Sam LaFrance
The Boston Celtics are the best team in the NBA, at least that’s what the standings say. So far this season, they’re sitting on top with a record of 12-3. Not to mention that they’ve won their last eight games.
Over the course of the win-streak, Boston has dealt with players missing time due to injury. Malcolm Brogdon, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart have all sat out at some point over the last eight games. Despite all of that, the Cs have looked strong and their depth has been on full display. Wednesday night in Atlanta, Boston got strong games out of Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet, and Payton Pritchard off of the bench.
Boston is proving to be deep, and is still without All-Defensive center Robert Williams III. Last season, Williams was a key piece of the team’s league-best defense. The Celtics posted a defensive rating of 106.2 with Timelord rejecting shots and discouraging opposing players from driving to the basket. He averaged 2.2 blocks per game to go along with 10 points and 9.6 rebounds.
Williams underwent a procedure on his left knee back in September, the same knee he tore his meniscus in last season. The Timelord’s timetable to be back in action was 8-12 weeks. As of Thursday, it’s been just under eight weeks since Rob’s surgery.
There are rumblings that Rob’s return may be right around the corner. A. Sherrod Blakely hinted at an early return Wednesday night on CLNS’s Garden Report post game show, saying:
“Robert Williams will be back sooner than later.”
Robert Williams III is excited to return to the Boston Celtics
Blakely went further into detail in his “Full Court Press Newsletter,” explaining that Robert Williams was smiling ear-to-ear when asked about returning. ‘The Timelord’ told Blakely that he’s working on “checking boxes” of things he needs to do to get back on the floor. Sherrod detailed Williams’ giddiness during the interview, writing:
"“But there’s no mistaking the excitement that he’s feeling now, well aware that he’ll be back on the floor sooner rather than later.”"
The already-improving Celtics’ much-improved 2022-23 defense would benefit greatly from the return of the Timelord.
For now it’s just a waiting game and a matter of time.