Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, injured Boston Celtics starting center Robert Williams III “is close to a return and could play in Game 3 (Saturday) or Game 4 (Monday)” against the Brooklyn Nets in their first-round series of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Per Charania, “final determination will be made on how Williams feels day-to-day.”
With the Celtics already up 2 – 0 on the series and plenty of comfort and familiarity playing with Williams this season, the Nets are staring down a significantly taller order to stay in the series and avoid falling into the dreaded 0 – 3 playoff deficit no team has ever recovered from in the history of the league.
Brooklyn has a star big man of their own in Ben Simmons who is also working his way back from injury with a projected Game 4 return of his own.
Boston Celtics center Robert Williams is close to a return and could play in Game 3 (Saturday) or Game 4 (Monday) vs. Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Final determination will be made on how Williams feels day-to-day after suffering torn meniscus on March 27.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 22, 2022
But, due to the Simmons’ injury being tied to a herniated disc and the lack of experience playing with the Nets (or any team) this season compared to the continuity Timelord has had with his team and his own injury — a surgically-repaired meniscal tear — it seems Boston has the clear advantage in this series moving forward regardless of whether Simmons returns.
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
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