Celtics’ Grant Williams Laughing Off Missed Free Throws Vs. Cavs

Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams certainly fumbled the end of regulation Monday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Williams made his way to the free-throw line after getting fouled on a put-back attempt with 0.8 seconds remaining and the game tied. But before the fourth-year pro could get off his first attempt, he engaged in trash talk with Donovan Mitchell, telling the Cavaliers star he would make both freebies.

But Williams couldn’t back up his words, clanging both potential game-winning free throws off the rim and then having to watch the Cavaliers prevail in overtime.

It had to be a demoralizing moment for Williams, as everyone seemed to take notice of his choke job, but the 24-year-old played it off like it didn’t bother him when re-living the situation with reporters prior to Wednesday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

“I felt like I was super locked-in and focused, even the confidence of saying you’ll make them both,” Williams told reporters, per The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. “It’s funny, because when you say that and miss both, it’s even funnier. But for me it’s just a matter of understanding that that happens and you can’t beat yourself up too much. All you have to do is prepare for the next game and survive.”

Williams, who reportedly is battling a nagging elbow injury, has been performing below his standard since the All-Star break. And he is finding himself on the edge of head coach Joe Mazzulla’s rotation, too.

For the second time in a week, Mazzulla elected not to play Williams in the first half against the Trail Blazers. Williams played the entire fourth quarter with the game already decided, making 3-of-8 attempts for eight points.

Even with his shots not falling with regularity, his playing time dipping and his failure against the Cavaliers, Williams is trying to keep in his confidence up.

“For me it’s just a matter of letting (shots fly),” Williams said. “You can’t really focus too much on if you’re missing or making. You’ve just got to make sure you’re confident enough to shoot them in the first place. So that’s the next step for me, understanding that you’ve worked on your shot enough where you’ve got to trust that you’re going to make those, or shoot them, no matter if it’s wide open or contested.

“That’s what the team encourages me to do. And a lot of times I don’t necessarily listen to that advice. So I have to be better at that.”