Grant Williams Acknowledges Shortcomings After Celtics’ Preseason Losses

Celtics head coach Brad Stevens sent a message to his team after Boston dropped both of its preseason games this week.

The team that fell to the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets is not even close to the 2019-20 team that advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference finals in the NBA bubble.

And if they’re going to get back there, there’s a lot of work to be done.

“The message was conveyed directly, no question of it,” Grant Williams said in a media availability Saturday, per Celtics.com. “We were just kinda defined in what we were asked to do. And that may expand due to the fact that some guys may be out right now, but for this team to be successful we all have to do our jobs and do them efficiently and do them well.”

Williams admitted he was speaking for himself as well as the group, and shared what he thought his own shortcomings were.

“I wasn’t being physical,” Williams said. “That’s something that I’m asked to do, and that’s something coach needs us to have a presence, and that’s something I didn’t do. So that’s room for me individually (to improve), being that presence and being that guy to set the tone.”

The Celtics open the regular season against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET.