UPDATE (7:45 p.m.): The Celtics have ruled Robert Williams out with a back contusion.
ORIGINAL STORY: The last thing the Boston Celtics could have afforded entering Saturday was another injury to the frontcourt.
The C’s were without Aaron Baynes and Al Horford (with Gordon Hayward also sitting out while in NBA concussion protocol) against the Charlotte Hornets, meaning Robert Williams III got his first career start.
But the 21-year-old big man would not finish the first half.
Williams appeared to injure his back after missing a putback dunk and falling hard. The center remained down on the floor for quite a while while medical personnel attended to him. Williams eventually was assisted off the floor, and was moving very gingerly.
The rookie filled in admirably in the first half, coming up with two blocks and three rebounds while going 1-for-2 from the floor.
With Baynes fighting a sprained ankle and Horford battling a lingering knee injury, the C’s are a bit light on on big men at the moment. Should Williams be unavailable for an extended stint, Boston’s reported signing of Greg Monroe to a 10-day contract will become all the more necessary.
