Watch: ‘Injury-Prime’ Robert Williams III gets a standing ovation at TD Garden as he makes his first appearance of the season
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Robin Williams III
Since the Boston Celtics have been playing so well this year, it’s almost incredibly easy to forget that starting center Robert Williams has been absent from the starting lineup. That all changed on Friday when the 25-year-old finally made his eagerly anticipated season debut following offseason surgery. Before Robert Williams even arrived at the scorers’ table to fill in during the first quarter of Friday’s game against the Orlando Magic, the TD Garden gave him a standing ovation.
Due to off-season knee surgery, the 25-year-old missed the first 29 games of the Celtics’ season. Joe Mazzulla decided to start the big man off the bench in his first game of the year to limit his playing time once he returned. Williams finished the game with nine points, five rebounds, and four made shots while playing 17 minutes. Williams was substituted in, and even the Celtics players on the bench all stood and applauded. The fact that his teammates are so glad to have him back says a lot about how important this player is to the Celtics. He is certainly beloved by his followers.
Even though Robert Williams made an effort to maintain his composure, he couldn’t help but smile when the crowd clapped in response to his appearance. He most likely experienced shivers after hearing the thunderous applause. Williams had 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.2 blocks a game in his previous campaign. Although he’s not a superstar, he is undeniably a vital member of this team.
Robert Williams and the Celtics fall to an upbeat Orlando Magic
The Wagner Brothers scored a total of 44 points for the Magic, who defeated the Celtics 117-109. Paolo Banchero scored 20, while Cole Anthony contributed 14 off the bench. Boston had a solid start, but they were never able to regain the lead they had lost late in the first quarter. The Celtics’ 4-2 road trip ended with their return to Boston.
They begun a seven-game homestand by playing the bottom-of-the-standings Magic, whose winning run has now reached five games, in two straight games. Al Horford’s return after an absence of five games was understandably missed because Robert Williams was about to make his season debut. But he instantly made an impact, nailing his first two 3-pointers as Boston quickly increased its lead to 14-4.
The Orlando Magic shockingly won 117-109 despite the Boston Celtics scoring a few baskets in the dying seconds to trim the advantage to seven. Boston made 28 free throws but had a dismal 3-point shooting percentage of 23.9 percent.
Moreover, Jaylen Brown came in with 25, and Tatum with 31. With 25 points, Mo Wagner led Orlando, and Bamba, who came off the bench, had 8 points and 5 offensive rebounds, and was a plus-15. The Celtics can get payback as they face the Magic again this Sunday
Also Read: “Ultimate Trickster,” Jalen Green hits out at Chris Paul over in-game calls
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Abhivyakt Sharma
(270 Articles Published)