KEY POINTS

  • Robert Williams III may return for Game 6 of the series against the Nets
  • Bruce Brown previously commented on their advantage with Williams being out
  • The Celtics will need to keep the Nets at bay and wait for Williams to make his return

After being projected to miss the postseason in its entirety, the Boston Celtics may now actually have the services of injured center Robert Williams III in their opening-round matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.

Famed NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported on this development in the latest episode of NBA Countdown and explained how it could happen.

“Game 6 would fall on about a month from his left knee meniscus surgery back on March 30th. The thought from the very beginning was, because of the nature of this meniscus surgery, that he could be back even within that one-month timetable,” Wojnarowski divulged.

It was previously discussed that the Nets were drawing a much more favorable matchup with the Celtics rather than the Miami Heat because Boston would have been without their high-motor and energetic center.

The Nets, particularly Bruce Brown, made a snarky comment about the Celtics’ depth in the frontcourt after their play-in victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers which also drew a public chastising from teammate Kevin Durant.

“We got to be physical with them. Now they don't have Robert Williams, so they have less of a presence in the paint, and we could attack Al Horford and [Daniel] Theis. So them not having Robert Williams is huge,” said Brown.

With the possibility of Williams returning if the series extends past a gentleman’s sweep of 4-1, the onus is on Brown and the Nets to finish the series as quickly as possible to avoid facing the rebound-gobbling big man.

The 27th overall draft pick of the 2018 NBA draft has put up his best season so far despite missing 21 games this season to help lead the Celtics to the top of the NBA’s defensive rankings.

Career-highs in points (10), rebounds (9.6), assists (two) and blocks (2.2) saw Williams being a key piece in the defensive schemes of head coach Ime Udoka.

Now projected to return during the playoffs, the Celtics will need to hold off the Nets for at least a game or two.

“He's continued to progress, he's met all his benchmarks so far, I'm told, and there's a real possibility for Boston... He could be back to play against the Nets in the back end of this series. It would be a huge boost for this Boston team to try and get past Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant,” Wojnarowski stated.

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