After lacking a major chunk of the season recovering from knee surgical procedure, Robert Williams appeared to be gaining some momentum on the well being entrance lately. But the Celtics middle has run into one other roadblock.
Williams may miss 7-10 days of motion with a left hamstring pressure, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated on Sunday. The Celtics’ beginning middle suffered the harm in Friday’s loss to the Nets, when he left the sport early within the third quarter and didn’t return.
“I think they said 7-10 days or so, but those things can change depending upon how quickly he can get back to sprinting,” Mazzulla stated. “So, just kind of have to see.”
Williams missed the primary 29 video games of the season after having left knee surgical procedure previous to coaching camp and had missed seven video games after that managing the knee and in addition coping with a left ankle subject. Given his historical past and significance to this Celtics crew, it’s clearly of their finest curiosity to work him again cautiously.
“I think he’s done a good job of his rehab and coming back and working through stuff,” Mazzulla stated. “So, we’re not going to rush him by any means. But when he’s healthy we need him and we want to play him. So, whenever he comes back, we’ll be ready.”
Williams’ harm is a tough blow for the Celtics, who’ve been attempting to get their meant beginning 5 of Williams, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford on the ground collectively to achieve chemistry and momentum going into the playoffs. That group has solely performed 81 minutes collectively and nonetheless have clear work to do to get again to final season’s stage that helped them attain the NBA Finals, particularly after they have been largely answerable for coughing up a 28-point lead in Friday’s loss to Brooklyn.
Williams began 5 consecutive video games popping out of the All-Star break – reaching the 30-minute mark twice – earlier than his harm. He acknowledged that he’s been inspired by his bodily form and hoped to maintain it rolling, however must take care of the frustrations of one thing popping up once more.
“I don’t know how hard it is for him,” Mazzulla stated. “I do know he’s done a great job this year of getting to a point where he was healthy, he was on the floor, and working through stuff. So I trust he’ll be able to do that with this as well.”
Derrick White began rather than Williams because the Celtics went with a smaller look to open Sunday’s recreation towards the Knicks.
Need for enchancment
The Celtics nonetheless boast a protection that ranks fourth within the NBA, however it’s been declining of late. Entering Sunday’s recreation towards the Knicks, their defensive ranking of 115.3 over their earlier 10 video games was good for 18th within the league. Mazzulla acknowledged that slippage.
“Just kind of not guarding the ball as well as we should,” Mazzulla stated. “Our lack of offensive execution at times affects our transition defense. Our foul rate isn’t where it was at the beginning of the year. So we’ve just got to get back to the details of being just more solid and then just really honing in on our individual defense.”
Injury report
Malcolm Brogdon missed his second consecutive recreation with proper ankle soreness. … Knicks standout guard Jalen Brunson – averaging 23.9 factors and 6.2 assists per recreation this season – missed Sunday’s matchup attributable to foot soreness. …
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, who scored 44 factors at TD Garden in his crew’s loss to the Celtics final week, is questionable for Monday night time’s rematch in Cleveland attributable to a left finger sprain.
Source: www.bostonherald.com