BOSTON (CBS) — The Celtics will be without starting center Robert Williams for Monday night’s Game 4 against the Bucks in Milwaukee. Williams has been ruled out with soreness in his left knee, the team announced before the game.
Williams recently missed a month of action, the final seven games of the regular season and Boston’s first two playoff games, after suffering a torn meniscus in his knee. Celtics head coach Ime Udoka said Williams has experienced some soreness since his return, and this is not unusual for a player after such surgery.
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“He was in some pain today, it just popped out of nowhere,” Udoka said before Game 4. “He didn’t really feel anything yesterday or during [Game 3].”
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Udoka said Williams is expected to return for Game 5 on Wednesday night in Boston.
Williams played limited minutes in the final two games of Boston’s first-round sweep of the Brooklyn Nets, returning earlier than expected from his injury. He returned to Boston’s starting lineup in the second round against the Bucks, averaging 8.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 24 minutes over the first three games.
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Grant Williams will now start in place of Rob Williams in Game 4, with Boston trailing Milwaukee 2-1 in the series. Daniel Theis, who has played just 6:43 in the series, will likely get more runs Monday night in Williams’ absence.