NEW YORK — Just greater than an hour earlier than tip-off Saturday evening at Madison Square Garden, a shock customer entered the Celtics’ locker room: A smiling Robert Williams walked in, and he was radiating with good vibes.
Six weeks faraway from having left knee surgical procedure that’s forcing him out of the opening months of the season, Williams appears to be on schedule. Williams had the operation on Sept. 23 and was given a window of 8-12 weeks to return to basketball actions. He revealed Saturday that he’s been gotten again on the courtroom for exercises just lately and he’s elevating his depth as he prepares for his eventual return. He’s even began dunking once more.
“I’m stepping it up,” Williams mentioned when requested what he’s been capable of do. “Really anything. They just try to hold me (back from) being a little too explosive sometimes, take my time with it. But pick and rolls, running the court, really doing a lot.”
“It feels great,” he added.” Just getting again on the courtroom to be trustworthy, man. It felt nice.”
Williams didn’t say when he expects to return, however mentioned he’s glad there have been no setbacks in his rehab.. He had had a PRP injection final month to assist promote his therapeutic.
“There’s windows, just looking to hit checkmarks,” Williams mentioned. “Once I get that out of the way, hopefully get back out there.”
What are his subsequent steps?
“Just increasing the load on everything,” Williams mentioned. “Seeing how the knee reacts. Hitting checkmarks they have set up for me.”
Williams reaggravated his left knee harm within the weeks earlier than coaching camp as he began ramping up for the season. He admitted there’s some uneasiness as he returns to the courtroom.
“You’re always kind of nervous, but that’s kind of why they gave me a window,” Williams mentioned. “Just in case we try something and there is a setback, you’ve got time to deal with it.”
But thus far, so good. And regardless that a return isn’t imminent, Williams touring with the staff on the street is one other vital step and benchmark within the course of.
“These are my teammates,” Williams mentioned. “I need them just like they need me. So I felt like it was just good for me to get back in rhythm coming on the road.”
Horford misses one other back-to-back
Before the season began, Al Horford mentioned he had ready his physique to play in back-to-backs this season and anticipated to be in them. But Horford nonetheless hasn’t performed in a single this season. The 36-year-old veteran, who performed 40 minutes in Wednesday’s additional time loss to the Cavaliers after which 33 minutes in Friday’s win over the Bulls, was out Saturday towards the Knicks as a consequence of low again tightness. Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla had mentioned Friday that the plan was for Horford to play however these plans modified after his heavy workload this week and feeling discomfort.
Horford has now missed the second leg of each of the Celtics’ back-to-backs this season. He additionally missed their Oct. 22 win over the Magic with low again tightness.
“Just being careful coming off the overtime game,” Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned. “A lot of minutes last game. Just being cautious.”
After the longest season of his NBA profession because the Celtics made their run to the NBA Finals in June, Horford is logging 31.4 minutes per sport thus far this season within the absence of Williams. Mazzulla mentioned Friday that he’s snug with that quantity.
First impressions
Though Mazzulla is a first-time head coach and nonetheless attending to know different coaches across the league, he has some familiarity with Knicks coach and former Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau. Mazzulla mentioned he spent a while with Thibodeau a number of years in the past and was appreciative of his time and training perception.
“He’s been great,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Early in my career, he spent a lot of time at the facility a few years ago. Just his experience. He’s obviously a great teacher of the game. He’s obviously a guy that has a standard and it was really cool learning from him, what he learned before his break getting a job. What worked, what didn’t work and kind of what his new perspective is. I’m grateful he was able to give that to me.”
Thibodeau has appreciated what he’s seen from Mazzulla and the Celtics.
“I think their experience has taught them a lot,” Thibodeau mentioned. “Their willingness to share the ball, the way they’re running the floor, they’re making plays for each other, put a lot of pressure on you. I think when Robert Williams comes back, they have a great defense also. They’ve done a terrific job. Joe has been there for a while, I’ve been around him, I’ve been very impressed with him. That organization is very strong from top to bottom.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com