Robert Williams may get a night off to rest his left knee

BOSTON -- The Celtics are going to do everything they can to make sure that Robert Williams is healthy for the postseason. That will include random nights off throughout the regular season.

The Boston big man may get his first such night off on Tuesday when the Celtics visit the Oklahoma City Thunder. Williams is listed as questionable for the tilt due to "left knee injury management."

Williams has played in seven game this season since returning from offseason left knee surgery on Dec. 16, and Boston has done everything it can to manage his minutes. Williams hasn't started a game and is averaging just 18.9 minutes off the bench. He received a night off on Dec. 23, though that absence was due to an illness.

He's made the most of his limited time on the floor, with Williams averaging 8.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. The Celtics have the best record in the NBA at 26-11 near the midway point of the season, so they're not really in any rush to get Williams back to his usual workload.

Tuesday night is the second game of a four-game road trip for Boston. The Celtics had their four-game win streak snapped in Denver on Sunday, falling 123-111 to the Nuggets.