The wait is over, Celtics fans.
Robert Williams III will return to the floor Saturday night as Boston faces the Brooklyn Nets in Game 3 of the ongoing first-round playoff series. The Boston big man has been sidelined since undergoing meniscus surgery on March 30 and initially was expected to miss four to six weeks.
Williams will play limited minutes in his return. Speaking to reporters before the game, head coach Ime Udoka said Williams will be available to play up to 24 minutes but the team likely will keep him in the 20-minute range and have him play off the bench rather than slot right back into the starting five.
As far as what the team will be looking for with the star center back on the floor, Udoka said he will be focused on how Williams handles himself in the minutes he is given.
“Just playing his normal game and how comfortable he is,” Udoka said. “Getting his confidence back. He’s had some good 20-, 25-minute scrimmage sessions. Like I said earlier, you can kind of monitor yourself in those at times and you can’t do that so much in the game. Just seeing how he feels reacting to those minutes, those short stints, and then confidence-wise how he looks and feels out there. Which, like I said, everything leading up to this points in a positive direction.
The Celtics lead the Nets 2-0 in the best-of-seven series. Tip-off from Barclays Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
