Robert Williams is back
The Celtics are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to win back-to-back games and punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals.
Boston is expected to make a starting lineup change, inserting center Robert Williams for Derrick White in Thursday’s do-or-die Game 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. That change will reunite the Celtics’ starting lineup from their 2022 NBA Finals run with Williams and Al Horford serving as a double-big duo against MVP Joel Embiid.
Williams found himself in a bench role after he returned to the Celtics following offseason knee surgery, as head coach Joe Mazzulla elected to keep White in the lineup.
The 25-year-old center has averaged 4.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in the series.
Those aren’t the only changes expected to be made, however, as Payton Pritchard is also expected to get an extended look in Game 6 after seeing spare minutes in a Game 5 blowout loss at TD Garden.
Game 6 is expected to tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.