Celtics Will Not Have Robert Williams For Tuesday Night's Must-Win Game Vs. Heat
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics will be without center Robert Williams for Tuesday night's must-win showdown with the Miami Heat in Boston. The big man has been ruled out as he continues to battle turf toe.
Williams started against the Heat on Sunday but only played 11 minutes in the first half. The injury became too much for him to play through, and he didn't play in the second half. Boston lost 130-124, dropping the team to the seventh-seed in the Eastern Conference and a spot in the play-in tournament.
Without Williams, the Celtics have very few options at center. Tristan Thompson only has Luke Kornet and Tacko Fall behind him on the depth chart, and Brad Stevens hasn't used either of them for anything other than short bursts as of late. The Celtics will likely have to rely on a lot of smallball, with either Grant Williams or Jabari Parker playing the five.
Boston has just four games remaining in the regular season, and it's unclear if Williams will be around for any of them. The Celtics are already battling to stay alive in the playoff hunt, and Williams' injury puts the team in an even more difficult spot.