NBA: When will Robert Williams return to play for the Celtics?
Boston Celtics center Robert Williams has torn a meniscus in his left knee, and is likely to need at least a few weeks to recover from the injury.
The Boston Celtics will be missing the services of Robert Williams- the center tore a meniscus in his left knee in their 134-112 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The injury will keep him out of action for at least a few weeks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. A more accurate timetable of his return to the court will be determined after the severity of his condition is further evaluated.
ESPN Sources: Celtics C Robert Williams has suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and will minimally miss several weeks. Further evaluation today will help provide a timetable. Boston moved into first-place Sunday, and Williams has been immense part of NBA’s best defense.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 28, 2022
Williams' injury-prone knees
With Sunday’s win, the Celtics have moved to the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 47-28 record after winning 24 of their last 28 games.
Williams left Sunday’s game in the third quarter. Celtics coach Ime Udoka said the player did not remember a particular instance when he hurt his knee, but he left the game in a lot of pain.
There have long been concerns about the health of the Texas A&M alum, as he has shown that both his knees are prone to chronic injuries.
everyone talking about the Will Smith slap and all I want to know is if Robert Williams III is going to be ok
— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) March 28, 2022
Williams integral to Celtics' defense
The loss of Williams will be a blow to Boston’s bid for the championship, as the 24-year-old has played a crucial part in the best defense in the league. Defense had been the weapon that the Celtics had used to become the number one seed in the east.
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The numbers indicate that Williams had limited his opponents to shooting 6.9% lower than their average percentages. The rising star had more playing time this season (1,804 minutes) than he had in previous years combined (1,656 minutes). He has racked up an average of 10 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks.
Williams inked a four-year, $48 million contract extension with the Celtics in August.