Inside The Celtics

Ime Udoka Explains Why Robert Williams Didn't Play in Fourth Quarter of Game 6 of Eastern Conference Finals

Robert Williams scored 12 points and had two blocks in 26:21 playing time in the Celtics' Game 6 loss.

Bobby Krivitsky

Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Williams played nearly the entire third quarter, logging just over ten minutes and scoring ten points, the most on the team in that period.

But in the final frame, Williams was absent. Saturday, when asked why in the fourth quarter he didn't play one of the most impactful individuals in this series, Ime Udoka expressed the following.

"With Rob, overall, he was playing solid. It wasn't anything physical, just more so had to do with Al hitting the three and making some big plays out there."

The Al Horford three Udoka's referring to tied the game at 94 with 5:31 remaining. As Derrick White brings the ball over half court on that play, you can see Williams next to Udoka at the scorers table.

But after Horford hit that three, his only basket of the night, Udoka decided against putting Williams back in. As hard a call as it would've been, perhaps the answer was to go back to what the Celtics did in Game 5, closing out the game with White on the floor but not Marcus Smart.

Smart's dealing with a right ankle sprain, and while he wasn't pushing the pace offensively, the primary problem wasn't his mobility. He couldn't make the Heat pay for regularly leaving him open as they forced the ball out of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's hands, with two combining to take seven shots in the second half.

Smart's 15 field goal attempts were the most on Boston. They were more than anyone besides Jimmy Butler, who's 47-point masterpiece, reminiscent of what LeBron James did to the Celtics in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, came on 29 attempts.

As for Smart, the Celtics' floor general went 4/15 (26.7 percent) from the field, including 1/9 (11.1 percent) from beyond the arc, finishing with 14 points. Perhaps, his ankle injury played a role in his poor shooting.

If it happens in Game 7, as long as Williams is available, Udoka's best option may be relying on the group that closed out Game 5 in Miami.

Further Reading

'This game hurt; to lose on our home floor, but we've got to have a short-term memory;' Ready or Not, Celtics on to Game 7

What Stood Out in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics Don't Meet the Moment; Jimmy Butler Leads Heat to Game 7

[Film Room] How the Celtics Got Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown Going in the Second Half of Game 5's Win

Celtics Focused on Eastern Conference, Not NBA Finals: 'You don't want any feelings of regret; We have a chance to do something special'

At Halftime of Game 5, Celtics Asked, 'How Much Does It Mean to Us?' Then Seized Control of the Game and Series

What Stood Out from Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics Blow By Heat in Second Half to Take 3-2 Lead

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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