The Celtics finished out a busy start to the season on Saturday with three games in four nights capped by a blowout win over the Knicks. For a team with so many questions about the roster entering the regular season, let's sort out what we have and haven't learned about the team in Week 1 of NBA action.
The biggest question about the Celtics’ roster this summer has always been the center spot, especially when it comes to crunch time. There are varying skillsets on the true center depth chart at this roster but no clear cut candidate to take those minutes from a fit standpoint on both ends of the floor. Enes Kanter provides bulk and rebounding but lacks mobility and rim resistance. Rob Williams is an offensive liability outside of the paint and remains inconsistent with his defensive positioning. Daniel Theis lacks the bulk to bang with true bigs on the boards at times. Vincent Poirier still doesn’t appear to be ready for primetime as he adjusts to a new scheme and a new league.
The one wildcard that has emerged from the pack on this front, however, has been rookie forward Grant Williams. The undersized big man spent most of the preseason playing true power forward off the bench for Boston but has quickly been pressed into action at the small ball center spot in Boston’s last two wins against the Knicks and Raptors. The results have been incredibly promising from a team standpoint as the Celtics have been plus-20 net rating during his 47 minutes on the floor.
While Williams hasn’t done much to light up the box score (3.7 points, 3.0 rebounds per game), his dirty work has not gone unnoticed. Offensively, he provides an offensive skillset that no one else on this roster presents at center. He’s a capable jump shooter from the corners, sets monster screens on and off the ball and has above-average passing ability for the big. With so many scoring options surrounding him when he plays the center spot, Williams has excelled at opening up opportunities for teammates and taking advantage of when defensive attention fades away from him. He has made the right play time and time again through the opening three games and that has already earned him the top minute total out of Boston’s reserves outside of Marcus Smart.
Jaylen with the smooth pass to Grant Williams pic.twitter.com/XefnzfUVxV
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 27, 2019
REJECTED!!! pic.twitter.com/nNOlNmkgXU
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 27, 2019