The previous few months have been a curler coaster for Grant Williams, however sadly for him, he’s earned his ticket on the trip. Inconsistent play, basic hesitance on the three-point line, and some tough moments in time have led to him falling out of the common rotation.
However when the Boston Celtics wanted him most on Wednesday evening, he delivered. Two clutch performs on the finish of the sport helped seal a much-needed win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I used to be attempting to leap inside-hand and attempt to smack it in the direction of the nook as a result of nobody was there,” Williams mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘time will fly, [the] clock will run…’ Even my head, when you take a look at it, my head was at Rudy’s elbow the whole time. It was humorous.”
On what ended up being the game-deciding play, Williams stole a leap ball from Timberwolves huge man Rudy Gobert. There was fast outrage from the Minnesota sideline, as they consider the Celtics ahead jumped early, however no name was made by the referees.
And on the play previous to that, Williams secured a key offensive board that led to the aforementioned leap ball. It was a game-winning sequence made by a participant who has been by the wringer as of late, with each the fan wrath and lack of plain time as scars to point out for it.
“I do know Grant hasn’t had it straightforward,” Marcus Good mentioned. “It’s been a tough one for him. However I’m happy with him, and I’m glad that he’s on our group.”
Just some brief video games in the past, Williams went to the road on the finish of a sport towards the Cleveland Cavaliers with an opportunity to tie it. Donovan Mitchell approached him, engaged in some smack speak, and Williams instructed him that he was going to nail each free throws.
He missed them each and the Celtics misplaced in extra time.
Earlier than that soul-crushing second, Williams was having his finest sport in weeks. He was 4-for-4 from behind the three-point line and capturing with the identical confidence he displayed throughout final yr’s postseason run. However in only a matter of seconds, it was all stripped away.
In opposition to the Timberwolves on Tuesday evening, the reverse occurred. Williams had a reasonably mediocre sport earlier than his clutch performs on the finish of the evening. He had a pleasant drive on Kyle Anderson, however that was the one shot he made. Williams went 0-for-3 from distance, pump-faked a number of too many occasions, and let some Timberwolves gamers get by him too simply on protection. However this time round, a shaky efficiency was considerably erased by two significant performs that preserved the win.
And possibly that’s the type of confidence-boosting prevalence he wanted to search out his footing once more.
“I strive my finest to false-front in a approach,” Williams mentioned. “It’s humorous as a result of I’ll be the primary one off the bench [supporting everyone else] and high-fiving and all the pieces. Teammates can be like, ‘we see you’re dying inside, however you’re doing all your finest to make it possible for everybody else is taken care of.’”
For the primary time in practically two years, Williams has been choosing up DNP-CDs. A participant who was integral to the group’s unbelievable playoff run has fallen out of favor at occasions, however for essentially the most half, he stays a beacon of sunshine on the sidelines.
However the Celtics want greater than a cheerleader on the sidelines. As detailed by CelticsBlog’s Bobby Manning, the inconsistent taking part in time is regarding for a participant as vital as Williams, particularly contemplating the position he performs within the postseason.
At his finest, he’s a flexible defender for the Celtics to throw at Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid, a knock-down shooter who led the Celtics to victory in a Recreation 7 final yr, and an on-court vitality enhance each time he’s on the ground. Currently, he simply hasn’t been at his finest.
To ensure that him to get there, although, he must play by his errors. And whereas which may be ugly proper now, it’s a needed step if Boston needs to achieve their ceiling. His efficiency towards the Timberwolves was proof of that.
