The Boston Celtics entered Wednesday's NBA Cup contest against the Detroit Pistons with a glaring concern: how would they handle the size and physicality of their opponent?
Detroit punishes teams down low. The visitors entered this matchup producing 59.1 points per game in the paint. That was the most in the league, per NBA.com. They also rank in the top six in offensive rebounds.
Meanwhile, the hosts were without Neemias Queta, out with a left ankle sprain.
"He's day-to-day," said Joe Mazzulla pregame. "We just kind of assess him every day. He's gotten a little bit better today than he was when it initially happened. So, we're just kind of taking it from there each day."
Absent their starting center, there were two avenues the Celtics relied on against the Pistons. One was going small, utilizing Josh Minott or Jordan Walsh at center.
The other approach meant leaning on Amari Williams, a rookie just called up from the G League. He delivered.
Celtics impressed by Amari Williams
Wednesday's 117-114 thriller at TD Garden wasn't his official debut. However, he only logged 40 seconds against the New York Knicks in Boston's second game this season. Other than that, he played 6:12 in a blowout loss at the hands of the Houston Rockets.
As Derrick White told Hardwood Houdini post-game, this was Williams's "Welcome to the NBA" moment.
The former Kentucky Wildcats star stepped up to meet that challenge. He regularly got matched up with Jalen Duren, who has evolved into an All-Star-caliber center this year. He battled with Isaiah Stewart, appropriately nicknamed "Beef Stew" due to his wrecking ball-like approach.
And Williams, who told this author his mentor's message centered on operating with an aggressive mindset, came out and set a punishing screen on Ausar Thompson on his first play after subbing in.
He maintained that physicality throughout. He had to. And his team needed that from him. It earned him 15:22 on the parquet, more than any other of Boston's traditional options at center.
"He looked great. He was battling on the boards. He gave us that physicality that we needed down there," Jaylen Brown told Hardwood Houdini post-game. "A big body like Amari makes a big difference."
"That was impressive from Amari, I'm not gonna lie. He hasn't been with us. A lot of pressure, high-profile game. To come in and make an impact, credit to him, but he did well for us," said Brown, continuing to sing the rookie's praises. "Amari has talent. He can pass the ball. He's a big guy. He knows the game. That was a big-time performance from him."
Derrick White was equally as impressed by Williams's ability to get thrown into the fire and fight through the flames.
"He was great. Duren's one of the best bigs in the league right now, and I mean, Stewart, those are guys that, it's a physical game down there. And he came in, held his own, changed some shots around the basket, blocked some shots, and gave us some really good minutes in there when we needed him," White told Hardwood Houdini. "Credit to him to come in, he was with us yesterday for practice, but come in, kind of his first, 'Welcome to the NBA' [moment], you get Jalen Duren, and figure it out."
The seven-foot center, who grew up playing soccer in England, has impressive mobility for a player of his size, prompting his head coach at Kentucky, Mark Pope, to tell this author that Williams has "the potential to be an elite-level defensive player."
He also runs the floor well, can act as an offensive hub, delivering dimes and taking the pressure off Boston's primary ball handlers, and contributes on the glass, especially when he's operating with the aggressive mentality urged on by his mentor.
It's all part of a package that Celtics fans should get to see more of while Queta works his way back from an ankle sprain. If he continues playing like he did Wednesday against the Pistons, perhaps the latter's return won't immediately send Williams back to the G League.