Grant Williams, quite literally, put his body on the line for the Celtics in their Game 3 win over the Philadelphia 76ers to take a 2-1 series lead.
Boston’s forward dove for a loose ball when Joel Embiid — who received his NBA MVP Award prior to tipoff — lost his balance after getting fouled by Jaylen Brown. Embiid unintentionally came down on Williams’ head with his foot, crushing his face into the parquet.
Williams went right to the bench to get tended to by trainers and, somehow, checked back into the game.
“I was like, ‘Dang, I really got curb stomped,'” Williams told reporters after the game, per CLNS Media. “It happens. He was falling backwards. I’m just thankful he didn’t like fully just lean his weight onto it because he definitely got me pretty badly. But then I think he felt that he landed on something, so he picked his foot up. It hurts a little bit.”
Williams was left bloodied but his goal was to make sure he could get back into an important Game 3 with the series tied at 1-1.
“When I sat up on my knees, I just saw blood trickling down and I was like, ‘Welp, I gotta come out,'” Williams told The Athletic. “So I sprinted off hoping that I didn’t have to get stitches and then just throw some Carmex on and keep it moving.
“I said, ‘I’m good’ or some (expletive) like that. Then got the docs to check me out and I thought I was going right back in, so I ran and tapped (head coach Joe Mazzulla) on the ass and was like, ‘Yo’ and they were like, ‘Sit back!’ I was like, ‘I’m ready!’ and they were like, ‘We know, just, like, wait.’ I was on the edge, but it worked out.”
It wasn’t long before Williams was back on the floor guarding Embiid, but the MVP made sure to go over to his opponent to apologize.
Even though Williams didn’t put up any points, he still made his presence known on the court before and after getting his face smashed in.
“I’m a little crazy, so I was fine,” Williams said.
Williams figures to be good to go for Game 4, which is set for Sunday afternoon. Tipoff from Wells Fargo Center is set for 3:30 p.m. ET.
