The Williams boys step up big for Celtics in win over Bulls

BOSTON -- The Celtics earned a hard-fought win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night, thanks to another big night from Jayson Tatum and a clutch three from Al Horford in the final minute. It was a lot closer than it had to be, but Boston hit its midway point with 29 wins on the season.

Tatum did his thing and led the way with 32 points. He flirted with another triple double with eight rebounds and seven assists. As he usually is, Tatum was the best player on the floor Monday evening.

The Celtics didn't make things easy on themselves, a common trend as of late. But they won thanks to some big contributions by the Williams boys: Center Rob Williams and forward Grant Williams.

The law firm of Williams & Williams played a huge role in Boston's 107-99 victory; Rob from the starting lineup and Grant off the bench. Both were very much needed as the Celtics gutted out the victory.

Rob Williams made his first start of the season and played a season-high 23 minutes. They were, of course, 23 energetic minutes, with Williams making his presence felt all over the floor. He scored just six points, hitting three of his four shots, including a dunk off a nice lob from Horford to start Boston's scoring for the night.

Even if he's not putting up big points, opposing defenses have to give Rob Williams plenty of attention. It opens the floor up for everyone else, and if a team forgets about him (which seems impossible) he's there to rock the rim off a lob. 

The points from Rob are just a nice bonus. The energy erupts when he sends down a dunk, but the energy erupts whenever he does anything. And with him back over the last 10 games, Boston's focus is starting to be restored on the defensive end.

Rob Williams pulled down seven boards (two offensive) and rejected a pair of Chicago shots. But just him being on the court and in the paint changed numerous other looks from the Bulls. He's nimble enough to force a guy off the three-point line, and then quick enough to recover and affect their layup attempt.

"It felt like he was in a great rhythm," Tatum said of Rob Williams' showing, adding that it felt "normal" to have him back in the starting five. "He made some big-time hustle plays. He just gives us that lob threat, that rim protection, and obviously how well he can pass the ball. So, extremely happy to have him back."

 "He does so many tremendous things that not many people in the league can even do," Grant Williams said of his namesake. "He does a phenomenal job of not only protecting us on the defensive end, but he's doing a great job pressuring on the offensive glass, being a threat down there, a lob threat."

The Bulls scored 99 points on Monday night, just the sixth time this season the Celtics have held an opponent under the century mark. 

Grant Williams said that Rob's energy is infectious, and while Grant is never short on juice, he had a ton of it Monday night. He brought some series vigor off the bench and accounted for 20 of Boston's 34 bench points, adding eight rebounds and a pair of blocks. 

When the Celtics are getting that kind of production off the pine, they're nearly unstoppable.

Grant was on the floor for 37 minutes on Monday, hitting eight of his 15 shots. He was the only positive player off the bench at plus-4. Only Tatum and Jaylen Brown played more minutes for Boston, and though Tatum the biggest night, Grant Williams was the unsung hero.

Unable to close out the Bulls in the second half, the Celtics had to fight for Monday night's win. With Marcus Smart missing the game with a quad injury, others had to step up and be the bullies.

Thankfully, Williams & Williams were there to answer the call.