Could Robert Williams Start At Center For Celtics? Paul Pierce Weighs In

If you haven’t noticed, Robert Williams has been playing pretty well lately.

That’s saying a lot, too, considering the Boston Celtics are amid one of their rockiest stretches in recent memory.

Williams has been one of the C’s go-to guys on the bench all season and has been a double-double machine in the last several games. Boston currently is a bit log-jammed at center, but the 23-year-old has made his case nicely in recent weeks.

In fact, Williams has a couple of fans in Kendrick Perkins and Paul Pierce. Perkins thinks the man nicknamed “Timelord” ought to have a starting spot soon, and asked his former teammate what he thought about the proposal.

Pierce wound up taking it one step further.

“Robert Williams is really making the case for a starting spot and being the future of the Boston Celtics,” Pierce said on NBC Sports Boston’s pregame coverage of Wednesday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I liked him in college, actually. He was a premier shot-blocker (and) rebounder. He got past that incident earlier in his career. And so, I think he’s starting to mature now, Perk. And I really think he’s the type of player you can take under your wing now, being you’ve been a big man in Boston and you know what it means for Celtic pride and to be in his position. Just like yourself, Perk, he’s playing with other stars to where those opportunities don’t come every night. So for you, you made a name for yourself in this league. You were one of the premier defensive players in the league. People feared you, and I feel like you can really bring that to the table for this young guy. But I really do think he has a future in Boston.”

That’s a pretty big compliment, especially coming from the likes of one of Boston’s biggest names.