Robert Williams III

Robert Williams III seized last night's Celtics-Warriors game and made it the Boston Celtics' to do with as they pleased. His box score was modest enough, ...

He now has as many blocked shots (10) as shots taken, and has spaced those blocks out for maximum impact, one in each quarter of the two Celtics victories and one each in the first and third quarters in Game 2 (he did not play in the garbagefest fourth quarter). He made you watch and the Warriors avert their eyes, and now the series demands a response from the three-time champions if this is to be as filling and nourishing as only a proper seven-gamer can provide. But his knee is probably healing itself even as we speak, and the notion that he might be the game’s next Draymond Green surely must invigorate him as it invigorates Celtics’ fans, who only got their money’s worth last night if they did not come to see a revenge war over Game 2. Robert Williams III seized last night’s Celtics-Warriors game and made it the Boston Celtics’ to do with as they pleased.

Robert Williams III and the Celtics changed up their routine ahead of and during Game 3 in an effort to get him physically in a better place.

The Celtics are simply different when Williams III is operating like he did on Wednesday night. Williams hasn’t been able to participate in much more than agility drills and light shooting on off days with the team attempting to limit the wear and tear on his knee. He allows us to be better on the defensive end because of his ability to protect the paint for us ... Williams III’s impact could be best quantified in Golden State’s lack of shots inside the 4 to 14 foot zone on Wednesday. The Warriors generated just six shots there and made only one, per NBA tracking. It’s one thing to attack the basket knowing he’s a step slow because of injury. He did not play in the final four games of that series before returning to help Boston during most of its seven-game triumph over the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. "That's why our defense is where it's at, because the ability that he has to cover that paint and protect it," said Smart. "Like I said, he's been doing it all year. You know what you can withstand and what you can't. But just know, we've got a chance to do something special. Even without Williams III at full health, it’s felt like the Celtics have been trying to extract whatever he can give them the past two rounds. Williams III hadn't been the same player for much of the past two rounds. But the Celtics tweaked his routine Wednesday -- both in warming him up before the game, and his minute pattern during floor time -- and got encouraging results. Scrambling over from the opposite blocks to contest the Curry drive, Williams III launched into a more familiar orbit and swatted the offering so hard it left Scott Foster going full Matrix to avoid getting drilled in the dome 30 feet away.

Robert Williams III provided a much needed defensive presence for the Celtics in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Warriors.

So, we understand that and, like I said, it’s the finals and we got to do what we got to do to win. Wiggins is different than a PJ Tucker and some of the guys we’ve had that kind of stand in the corner more. “He has to be adaptable and be able to play in anytime any type of situation,” Udoka said.

'Rob is really a game-changer,' says teammate Al Horford with Celtics two wins away from banner No. 18.

Even when he did, the Celtics were able to play with more force than they did in Game 2. They rebounded 45.7 percent of their misses in the half court, according to Cleaning the Glass. Beyond Williams’ matchups, the Warriors put teams in a blender with all sorts of offensive motion, both on and off the ball. “It’s the NBA Finals and we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do to win,” Udoka said. The Celtics often use him on a lesser perimeter player, allowing him to sag off his man and protect the rim, but the Warriors don’t have many of those. There is a big-picture approach, as well, a core group that we want to build with going forward and understanding how to guard every situation.” Near the end of the third quarter, Williams positioned himself too far off Thompson, allowing one of the best shooters ever to release a clean look. It’s just all the things that he brings, being in the right places. “We’re very fortunate to have a guy like that that impacts winning in the way that he does because it’s beyond the numbers with him. With just this last series left between the Celtics and a possible championship, Udoka has every reason to make decisions based on the here and now. He still charged a decisive fourth-quarter run that pushed the Celtics toward a 116-100 win. He is attempting to stop a Warriors team with enough shooting to run plenty of big men off the court.

Lingering discomfort from March knee surgery hasn't stopped Boston's defensive anchor from being a major factor in limited minutes.

I think just off the top, the amount of switching and perimeter play, but he’s a guy that can do it.” Rob Williams isn’t letting his knee soreness get in the way of him competing for a championship. A specific concern in advance of Game 4 ( 9 ET, ABC) is that the time between games is the shortest of the series — just 48 hours. You have to be aware of where he is because that’s what he does for them on that end of the floor.” “Start off usually like a deep tissue massage, back of my calf, front of my knee,” he said. “We’ve talked about just being aware of where he is,” Curry said, “because especially depending on who he’s guarding, he can kind of come out of nowhere. Despite appearing in only 61 games this season, Williams was voted to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team. Particularly in his current state, Williams still has much to learn. Normally that’s the sort of preemptive intimidation associated with giants such as Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert or prime Dikembe Mutombo. That Williams is getting similar respect playing on 1 1/2 legs speaks to his value and determination. “Just his presence, people in the league, everybody, we all know each other. He got Golden State’s Steph Curry in the Finals opener last week, venturing out to the arc in anticipation. He closed out on Klay Thompson’s 3-point attempt, then hustled/hobbled back for the rebound.

Playing in the NBA doesn't leave a basketball pro with much free time. In 2018, Shayna Seymour took the Celtics star on his first tour of the city.

Robert Williams grabbed three steals and blocked four shots while keying a fourth quarter push that turned into a Celtics blowout win in Game 3.