MEMPHIS — Celtics Coach i’m udoka said center Robert Williams He had some concerns before undergoing surgery on his torn left meniscus on March 30, mainly because it was his first procedure. But he was “in a good mood almost immediately” when he realized how simple the process was, and Williams had already started increasing his workouts to twice a day.
“Everyone reacts differently, so I can’t anticipate a date,” Udoka said on Sunday. “But barring any hiccups or swelling or anything like that, we hope to have him back sooner rather than later.”
Williams suffered the injury during Boston’s March 27 win over the Timberwolves. He is expected to be out for 4-6 weeks, which would likely keep Williams out for at least the first round of the playoffs. But Udoka has indicated there is still a chance Williams could return during a first-round series.
“The 4-6 week timeline is what it is,” Udoka said. “But the guys will be back in three and stuff. I like it [Bulls forward] Javonte Green I was here and came back in three weeks and I was still coming out of the gym. So everyone reacts differently and we don’t rule him out because of that, but like I said, we look forward to playing the first round without him.”
Proceeding as planned
After the Bucks sat out all of their best players and lost to the Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon, the Celtics entered Sunday night’s game against the Grizzlies still able to finish between second and fourth in the NBA standings. the Eastern Conference.
The situation remained fluid throughout the day, with the teams at the top prioritizing rest or not-so-subtly trying to maneuver into their preferred spaces. After Milwaukee’s starters sat out, the 76ers announced that the stars james harden Y Joel Embid he would miss his team’s game against the Pistons.
Boston was facing a Memphis team that had all its best players sitting out because it was already locked in at the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. But the Celtics proceeded as planned, with all of the team’s regulars remaining active against Memphis.
“We’ve talked about it and looked at all the scenarios,” Udoka said. “And not everything depends on what we do. Other teams can affect that too… So we looked at each scenario, what we concluded was, ‘Let’s do what we do.’ And helping, playing our best basketball, like I said, is the main focus. And so with all the variables in the plan and the teams behind us still competing, it’s hard to manipulate anything.”
Celtics sign Morgan
The Celtics signed up front juwan morgan to a two-year contract. The forward signed a 10-day contract with Boston on March 28 and spent most of this season with the team’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, averaging 12.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
“He was a guy who played well for our G League team all year long,” Udoka said. “We had him in training camp, obviously, and he’s another guy that can do a lot of what we’re doing versatility-wise. We have had the opportunity to see some different positions and different players and what he does fits well with our group.
Morgan’s deal for next season likely includes a small partial guarantee, essentially giving Boston a chance to give him another shot at training camp.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.
Reference-www.bostonglobe.com