Celtics, Grant Williams, Discuss His Epic Game 7-Performance: 'Let it fly; They're disrespecting you more tonight than earlier in the series'

Grant Williams' 27-point performance, making 7/18 threes, propelled the Celtics to the eastern conference finals and a matchup with the Miami Heat.

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The Bucks, a team that likes to pack the paint and force opponents to beat them with threes from the wings and above the break, dared Grant Williams and the Celtics' role players to knock down those shots to propel Boston in Game 7.

In the beginning, that strategy worked as the Celtics opened the game 2/9 from the field and finished the first frame shooting 5/14 (35.7 percent) from beyond the arc.

That included Williams going 1/3 and passing up open opportunities after not seeing the ball go through the hoop. But for Boston to prevail, Williams would have to meet the moment. It's safe to say a game-high and career-best 27 points while going 7/18 (38.9 percent) on threes checks that box.

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After the game, Williams spoke about a performance that included breaking fellow Charlotte native Steph Curry's attempts for three-point attempts in a Game 7, prompting the Celtics to refer to him as "Grant Curry.

"It's tough to get in your head when your entire team, like 15 people, walk up to you like, 'let it fly, keep shooting,'" Williams said post-game.

One of those people was his head coach, Ime Udoka, who told him: "Let it fly. They're disrespecting you more tonight than earlier in the series."

The reinforcement Williams got from the coaching staff and teammates gave him the confidence to keep shooting.

"They're encouraging it, might as well take advantage, so each one as time went on, got more comfortable, and then, I guess Ime made a joke I shot 18, and that's the most probably threes I've shot in my life in a single game. It was fun, but it's just great that we got a win."

He also shared his mentality with the Bucks deciding to leave him open: "I feel like they were just trying to make adjustments," Williams stated, adding, "And originally, it started to work a little bit, but then I started making shots."

He later expressed: "It was just a matter of, if that's how they want to play it, I've worked on my shot enough to be able to knock those down and be confident enough to shoot it."

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Jayson Tatum, who scored 23 points, dished out eight assists, and grabbed six rebounds in the victory, said: "Grant played great tonight. He took more shots than anybody on the team; I think that's a first. He took 18 threes. I told him, 'Don't get used to that.'"

Tatum went on to say: "Grant won us a playoff game tonight, a Game 7. I'm extremely happy for him."

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Jaylen Brown, who registered 19 points, eight rebounds, and two steals, saw Williams' reluctance to shoot when his threes weren't going in, prompting him to seek out Williams during a timeout.

"I told him he has to shoot it. I know that's what they want, but it's a wide-open shot. He's a good shooter."

Brown went on to say: "If they're off that far, you've either got to shoot it or go into another action right away." But with Lopez playing so far off him, he encouraged "Grant Curry" to choose the former and let it fly.

"We trust all our guys," Brown stated. "Grant is a good shooter, and he came through. We call him Grant Curry now."

Further Reading

What Stood Out from Game 7: Celtics Pick Ideal Time for Their Best Game of the Playoffs

Celtics Ready for Game 7 on Their Home Floor: 'It means everything; The best atmosphere in the NBA'

The Top 5 Plays from Game 6 Between the Celtics and Bucks

Celtics Discuss Jayson Tatum's 46-Point Performance in Game 6: 'He went into another mode'

What Stood Out from the Celtics' Win in Game 6 vs. Bucks: Jayson Tatum Scores 46, Leads Boston to Game 7 at Home

[Film Room] What Led to Jayson Tatum's Struggles in Game 3 and How the Celtics Get Him Going in Game 4